Baltimore Praises Peaceful Protests, Decides Against Curfew

Voice of America
01 Jun 2020, 23:35 GMT+10

BALTIMORE - Baltimore Mayor Bernard "Jack" Young decided against imposing a citywide curfew as a large group of people marched through downtown peacefully Sunday and the city did not see the kind of destruction and violence seen in other protests around the country.

The Baltimore Sun reports that police and city leaders said they remained vigilant as protests over the death of George Floyd continue across the country. Floyd, a handcuffed black man, died last week in Minneapolis after a police officer pinned him down and kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes as he pleaded for air. The officer has been fired and charged with murder.

"If you're coming to Baltimore to protest peacefully, we welcome you. But if you're coming to Baltimore to throw bricks at storefront windows or destroy police vehicles, you're going to find yourself in a jail cell. That's a promise," Young said.

On Saturday, cellphone videos captured demonstrators reprimanding agitators in the crowd who threw water bottles at police. On Sunday, a crowd chased away a man who started to cause damage along the streets.

"We were a national example of what it looks like to engage in passionate protesting without widespread breaking of the law," Young said.

Floyd's name was invoked by Malik Williams, 20, as he led a march Sunday evening.

"We're out here for justice and peace. We're not out here to hurt," Williams said.

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