“I wanted to give space to those who wished to destroy,” that is how Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake described her policy Saturday at a press conference. Her words, which effectively told police to stand down as those gathered to protest the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray smashed store windows, looted 7-Elevens and forced attendees at a Baltimore Oriole-Boston Red Sox baseball game to remain in the stadium because it wasn’t safe outside.
At a press conference on April 25 the mayor said, ““I made it very clear that I work with the police and instructed them to do everything that they could to make sure that the protesters were able to exercise their right to free speech. It’s a very delicate balancing act.”
The resulting violence escalated as flyers were distributed describing how the city was going to have a “purge” Monday styled after the movie of the same name where all laws were suspended for one night.
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When the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect the people and property of a community know that their elected boss believes that the lawbreakers are justified in creating mayhem, it destroys the resolve to provide that security.
More at Fox News
Was the mayors’ house, car and other properties owned by her and her relations included in “…space to those who wished to destroy…” -highly unlikely.
There was a flurry of social media (tweets, etc.) that white homes, businesses, police, cars and people were to be the targets.
It was sickening to watch as police stood two or more blocks back while stolen cars were driven into a street fire and a little corner market with apts above it was set alight after being looted.
The owners had to be rescued along with their tiny baby because their home was filling with smoke.
Police mosey’ed on down the street (finally) to help this Asian family with fire dept behind them.
Smoke was pouring out of the windows where this family lived before they got rescued.
Really a shameful policy of holding help back so blacks could loot and terrorize non-blacks.
The mayor ought to resign.
I also understand she refused to accept phone calls from the gov several times.
When she FINALLY did call him (apparently after Obama called her) he only took 30 seconds to order out the state’s National Guard.
@Nanny G:
If there is a race issue, no matter how much it has nothing to do with his being POTUS, he has to get involved. What a stark contrast between him and the black Vietnam Vet who told the hoodlums to go home. One gets it and prides himself on being an American. The other doesn’t get it or doesn’t want to. Unfortunately the latter is the POTUS.
Sadly, there is but one way to stop this cycle of violence that erupts because the thuggish gangs KNOW there will be no retaliation. The National Guard should announce, non-stop, for an entire day, they would be deployed to defend X neighborhood or businesses and if they are met with violent attacks, they will open fire, shooting to kill. Possibly we would see the cowardly gangs run and hide, but if they indeed carried out their threat to harm or kill, then it would be necessary to open fire. The bodies should be dragged off and buried in a mass grave.
As long as these riots are met with retreat, they will continue and at some point, shooting will ensue. Thank you, Al, Barack, Eric and the rest of you ideologues.
Baltimore PD should grant her her wish and have a Blue Flu epidemic next weekend.