City, State Leaders Praise Baltimore's Reaction To Floyd's Death

BALTIMORE, MD — As protests have continued around the nation, rallying against the death of George Floyd, who died while in police custody last week in Minneapolis, state and local officials are praising residents for the manner in which they have demonstrated.

"The people of Baltimore City have set an example for the rest of America," Gov. Larry Hogan said Wednesday at a news conference in Annapolis.

More than 1,000 demonstrators have marched on the city’s streets in recent days to demand justice for Floyd, but property damage and arrests have been limited. Police Commissioner Michael Harrison reported Tuesday that only six arrests took place during protests Monday night.

The response to Floyd’s death has been much different than Baltimore’s rioting in 2015 following the death of Freddie Gray. In a statement on Tuesday, Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young said the city of Baltimore has made the nation proud, while pursuing justice and equal treatment under the law.”

Young said on Tuesday he loves seeing the energy and passion of the city's youth who are "leading our city today" and praised local activists who risked their personal safety to maintain peace and calm during tense moments when a few agitators sought to cause trouble.

Young praised Harrison and the rest of the Baltimore Police Department as well as local activists who helped maintain peace while protesting. Harrison said that his officers have showed restraint while doing their job and said he has resisted setting a curfew in the city because of the way local residents have handled themselves in recent days.

Harrison cited the actions of residents who brought a man to police after he set an M-80 firecracker off in the area where officers were policing the area. The man was later arrested.

"Baltimore stood up and refused to let divisive and subversive agendas and actions hurt their city and cloud the message of peace and the message of change," Harrison said Tuesday.

Gov. Hogan said other parts of the country should follow Baltimore’s example.

"Thousands of young people and community leaders expressed their frustrations peacefully, while working with police to stand up to a handful of extremists with a violent agenda," Hogan tweeted Tuesday. "This is how real, positive change happens."

See Also:

• 14 Arrested Amid Mostly Peaceful Protests: Baltimore Officials
• Baltimore Police Kneel During Monday’s Protests Over George Floyd's Death
• Baltimore Protests Stopped Traffic Monday On I-83
• Fireworks Set Off In Crowd: State Police Activated In Baltimore