Eyewitnesses: The Baltimore Riots Didn't Start the Way You Think WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGE

Baltimore teachers and parents tell a different story from the one you've been reading in the media.

After Baltimore police and a crowd of teens clashed near the Mondawmin Mall in northwest Baltimore on Monday afternoon, news reports described the violence as a riot triggered by kids who had been itching for a fight all day. But in interviews with Mother Jones and other media outlets, teachers and parents maintain that police actions inflamed a tense-but-stable situation.

The funeral of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who died in police custody this month, had ended hours earlier at a nearby church. According to the Baltimore Sun, a call to "purge"—a reference to the 2013 dystopian film in which all crime is made legal for one night—circulated on social media among school-aged Baltimoreans that morning. The rumored plan—which was not traced to any specific person or group—was to assemble at the Mondawmin Mall at 3 p.m. and proceed down Pennsylvania Avenue toward downtown Baltimore. The Baltimore Police Department, which was aware of the "purge" call, prepared for the worst. Shortly before noon, the department issued a statement saying it had "received credible information that members of various gangs…have entered into a partnership to 'take-out' law enforcement officers."

When school let out that afternoon, police were in the area equipped with full riot gear. According to eyewitnesses in the Mondawmin neighborhood, the police were stopping busses and forcing riders, including many students who were trying to get home, to disembark. Cops shut down the local subway stop. They also blockaded roads near the Mondawmin Mall and Frederick Douglass High School, which is across the street from the mall, and essentially corralled young people in the area. That is, they did not allow the after-school crowd to disperse.

Meghann Harris, a teacher at a nearby school, described on Facebook what happened:

   Police were forcing busses to stop and unload all their passengers. Then, [Frederick Douglass High School] students, in huge herds, were trying to leave on various busses but couldn't catch any because they were all shut down. No kids were yet around except about 20, who looked like they were waiting for police to do something. The cops, on the other hand, were in full riot gear, marching toward any small social clique of students…It looked as if there were hundreds of cops.

The kids were "standing around in groups of 3-4," Harris said in a Facebook message to Mother Jones. "They weren't doing anything. No rock throwing, nothing…The cops started marching toward groups of kids who were just milling about."

A teacher at Douglass High School, who asked not to be identified, tells a similar story: "When school was winding down, many students were leaving early with their parents or of their own accord." Those who didn't depart early, she says, were stranded. Many of the students still at school at that point, she notes, wanted to get out of the area and avoid any Purge-like violence. Some were requesting rides home from teachers. But by now, it was difficult to leave the neighborhood. "I rode with another teacher home," this teacher recalls, "and we had to route our travel around the police in riot gear blocking the road…The majority of my students thought what was going to happen was stupid or were frightened at the idea. Very few seemed to want to participate in 'the purge.'"

A parent who picked up his children from a nearby elementary school, says via Twitter, "The kids stood across from the police and looked like they were asking them 'why can't we get on the buses' but the police were just gazing…Majority of those kids aren't from around that neighborhood. They NEED those buses and trains in order to get home." He continued: "If they would've let them children go home, yesterday wouldn't have even turned out like that."

Meg Gibson, another Baltimore teacher, described a similar scene to Gawker: "The riot police were already at the bus stop on the other side of the mall, turning buses that transport the students away, not allowing students to board. They were waiting for the kids…Those kids were set up, they were treated like criminals before the first brick was thrown." With police unloading busses, and with the nearby metro station shut down, there were few ways for students to clear out.

Several eyewitnesses in the area that afternoon say that police seemed to arrive at Mondawmin anticipating mobs and violence—prior to any looting. At 3:01 p.m., the Baltimore Police Department posted on its Facebook page: "There is a group of juveniles in the area of Mondawmin Mall. Expect traffic delays in the area." But many of the kids, according to eyewitnesses, were stuck there because of police actions.

The Baltimore Police Department did not respond to requests for comment.

Around 3:30, the police reported that juveniles had begun to throw bottles and bricks. Fifteen minutes later, the police department noted that one of its officers had been injured. After that the violence escalated, and rioters started looting the Mondawmin Mall, and Baltimore was in for a long night of trouble and violence. But as the event is reviewed and investigated, an important question warrants attention: What might have happened had the police not prevented students from leaving the area? Did the department's own actions increase the chances of conflict?

As Meghann Harris put it, "if I were a Douglas student that just got trapped in the middle of a minefield BY cops without any way to get home and completely in harm's way, I'd be ready to pop off, too."

On social media, eyewitnesses chronicled the dramatic police presence before the rioting began: (pics on link)

On Twitter, Baltimore residents vented their frustration with the situation.

ay @Ms_lionesss

Mondawmin Mall is where lots of students catch the bus, when you shut down MTA how the heck they gonna get home? @BaltimorePolice
8:45 PM - 27 Apr 2015

Clifton Norbury @seabethree

These are not gangs. These are children. You close Mondawnin, close the metro stop. And wonder why children are just "around" Mondawnin.
9:09 PM - 27 Apr 2015

http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2015/04/how-baltimore-riots-began-mondawmin-purge


Bit different from the media stories.

Major overreacting to this by police; cowards in charge.

Well, they do their training in Israel.

Ben_Reilly wrote:Major overreacting to this by police; cowards in charge.

I think that is the consensus of all observers: A government in the tow of the wealthy and business interests and a police department with absolutely no bridge to the community...you have a disaster just waiting to happen.  My god...Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is out there calling the protesters "thugs", but she has nary a word for the murderers on her own thug-for...'scuse me, I mean police force.  

Very typical of conservatives...they get themselves into this kind of shit, and the liberals have to be called in to roll up their sleeves and bail them out.  It's Iraq all over again, fgs.

"They do their training in Israel" for fuck sake sassy give it a rest.

No, because since they have done their training in Israel, their methods of controlling crowds have become more violent and more militaristic and that puts the lives of American citizens at risk.  Now some of our police are training there, and that puts us at risk:

Israeli Army Trained London Police in Tactics and Strategy During Gaza Crisis, Says Report  http://www.ibtimes.co.in/israeli-army-trained-london-police-tactics-strategy-during-gaza-crisis-says-report-616521

Why are London’s Police Travelling to Israel? American and British Police Trained in Israel http://www.globalresearch.ca/why-are-londons-police-travelling-to-israel-american-and-british-police-trained-in-israel/5418432

Have seen rumours that attorneys for the BaltimorePolice are NOW calling for a special prosecutor instead of Marilyn Mosby.

risingsun wrote:No, because since they have done their training in Israel, their methods of controlling crowds have become more violent and more militaristic and that puts the lives of American citizens at risk.  Now some of our police are training there, and that puts us at risk:

Israeli Army Trained London Police in Tactics and Strategy During Gaza Crisis, Says Report  http://www.ibtimes.co.in/israeli-army-trained-london-police-tactics-strategy-during-gaza-crisis-says-report-616521

Why are London’s Police Travelling to Israel? American and British Police Trained in Israel  http://www.globalresearch.ca/why-are-londons-police-travelling-to-israel-american-and-british-police-trained-in-israel/5418432

Which is very irrelevant.
So if the SAS train many armies and those trained fail in carrying out points from their training, who is in the wrong?
You see at every turn you try and direct hate towards Israel when there is absolutely no empirical evidence to back this. For one you have to factor in the racist element within the US Police force, again here of those Police who are poor. So if they were racially motivated in their hate for this victim, how is that in anyway got to do with training from Israel? Plus the fact most of their training will be in the US, so your point is utterly absurd and you are again trying to demonize Israel based off a false premise

So when the Police do well which is the majority everyday, you accredit this also to Israel training then?

Zero connection

Only not relevant to you because you can't see for looking.

Well considering you were yet again unable to take on my points and make further unfounded accusations. I shall take that as you conceding your claim.

Nope, just can't be bothered to argue with someone who is in complete denial about Israel and it's crimes and it's ethos.

The problem has already been recognised in America:

Following nationwide outrage and embarrassment, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon pulled St. Louis County Police forces out of Ferguson and placed the Missouri Highway Patrol in charge of policing demonstrators. The St. Louis Police Department voluntarily removed its officers from Ferguson.
As a result, Ferguson no longer looks like occupied territory, though the underlying issue, Michael Brown’s murder, has yet to be addressed.

Meanwhile, the scope of Israel’s influence on US law enforcement remains virtually ignored by the media despite the troubling implications of emulating an apartheid regime actively engaged in ethnic cleansing and war crimes.
The culture of racism and impunity that has long plagued American policing is deadly enough as it is. Adding Israeli-style repression to an already dangerous mix guarantees disaster.

http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/israel-trained-police-occupy-missouri.html

Again more unfounded accusations. If you claim I am wrong, then you should have no problem explain why it will have no bearing on the case, with the defense not using this as a reason for the homicide trial? I mean that is one factor. Number 2 factor is racial disparity and racism found within the Police. Show the actual training methods of the Israeli's and of how much of the training it makes up for some US training system. You then need to factor in cultures. I could go on the list is endless and you just post a couple of links and state is the Israeli's at fault due to their training methods and not offered countless evidence to show they are poor. You do realise their Police force is ranked very high in the world which also questions the validity of your claim, because clearly many think it is one of the best.

So do not waste my time with as two irrelevant replies that does not address anything other than you making unfounded accusations to what I do know, when it is evidence it is more about how little you do know

Head in sand, eyes wide shut, deny, deny, deny.

There you go again, a poor insult and nothing to counter any of my points, which means I am afraid Sassy, you are the one looking poor here, not I.


You have had 3 attempts now and each time just gave lame insults and unfounded accusations.
People can easily make up their own minds from that.

Didge, I have come to realise Isreal could blow kids apart in front of you and you would find it ok. As for insults, I don't think you have room for manouvre there do you?

That is unfounded again, as again I condemn Israel for when children have been killed even when it has been collateral damage.
I think you will find I do condemn Israel and when many things are pointed out to you in regards to Fatah and Hamas, you avoid answering them like the plague, where you never are critical of them at all.

So as seen you are now just not able to admit you do not have any evidence for your claim to blame Israel now, one the best trained in the world on how Police react in their line of duty in the US.

It is as seen a ridiculous claim, so either counter my points or stop wasting my tie, because in every post you have made poor claims that have nothing to do with the debate. Which is nothing more proof you are attempting deflection from the fact you have no case.

Not unfounded at all, you find excuse after excuse for every international law they break, every illegal weapon they use, every war crime they commit.  So there is no point arguing with you, you are in denial and are not likely to change.  I'm not wasting my time.

See now, as seen sassy has no evidence, she makes unfounded claims about me in the attempt to deflect away from all my points, as if this will some how make them disappear. With clearly trying to deflect the debate with unfounded claims to me. To the point in the last few posts from sassy, nothing has been about the Police, but about me.
So easy to read again like a book.


The points are there Sassy, its your choice to address them.
If you cannot or will not then you have to concede your claims is baseless. It is as simple as that.

Same old, same old. You really are predictable.

Nope that is not a counter to my points.

Nope, it wasn't meant to be, I don't recognise your points as points because you don't recognise the crimes of Israel. If I showed you a picture of the children it has burnt with white phosphorus you would come out with some excuse. That's your problem, live with it. Anyone who doesn't fight for maimed children and sides with the people that do it and glory in it is not worth anyone's time or effort.

Not recognizing them is not a valid reason to dismiss them, you need to show my points have no validity, which you have failed to do. Even worse you have offered no evidence for your claim it is the training methods that made these 6 cops do what they did. Again you now go on even more points not connected to now what you claim the IDF use, when we are talking about Police forces.

Saying you do not recognize the evidence that refutes your claims, is being as bad as the Mccan Conspiracy theorists, basically ignoring counter evidence, because the evidence actually makes there's and your claim poor or baseless. You are just providing feeble excuses Sassy and poor deflections, because if you believed you were right, you would be able to counter all my points.You have not countered any of them or even attempted to do so.

I don't need to do anything. You don't give a stuff about Israel's crimes or the children that suffer from them. I realise I could put 1000 pages of evidence in front of you and you would come out with your normal crap, so find someone else to pontificate to, I don't need to listen to someone who doesn't give a stuff about maimed and disfigured children, left in agony.

You do or your views on this then lack any credibility, where you keep yet again going off accusations,which has no relevance to this debate. You see this is like your stance on Israel itself.
Not recognise?
Sound familiar by any change to how Israel is viewed by some of the left etc?
Try to claim badly I think it is okay if children are killed, which has no validity, but by this you are trying to demonize me as a person. By this you think this will then make my views wrong, when people can be right on some things and wrong on others. Wrongly claim I do not condemn Israel, when I do and have doe so many times and have stated the settlements in the West Bank are wrong. So clearly your view is to demonize me as an individual, wrongly believing this legitimizes my view points. That methodology is a very poor one, that is often used against Muslims collectively by the far right

poster as if this will get you out of having to answer.

You condone that.

WHITE PHOSPHORUS

That looks like burns to me for sure, but that is not evidence for phosphorus, which is not banned either and do not violate International law when against Military targets. I certainly condemn the fact his child has become a victim and would question if this was poor intelligence on Israels part, if they wrongly targeted the wrong areas or even if it was deliberate, which would be a war crime. However, if this poor child has been in an area where Hamas stores and fires weapons within the adjacent area, then Hamas would be very much to blame clearly ensuring civilian deaths, of which again there is evidence for.

Now at every turn I have answered all your points which have gone so away from the point of the Police.


So based on you have not countered my points on the Police and have now started a separate debate on here. The verdict is you have no bases for you claim.

End of story

See what I mean. You're back on ignore, you're a fuckwit who ignores evidence of what is being done to children and I don't need to talk to people who do that.

Do as you please, as seen, I was not insulting, which only came from you. Your claims onto me were as seen unfounded and wrong.
When I look at something I look at all possibilities as most rational people would also do the same. Sadly I think this obsession and hate of Israel you have, clearly makes you very emotive and then less able to reason on things as seen here. That is not an insult but a concern.

As I say, if you make claims Sassy, you need to back them up and counter any rebuttals to your claim. You did neither.


Catch you all later

risingsun wrote:Have seen rumours that attorneys for the BaltimorePolice are NOW calling for a special prosecutor instead of Marilyn Mosby.

It's just an opportunistic ploy by the Baltimore Police. She is married to a City of Baltimore councilman, but that hardly makes for a conflict of interest. It was worse in Ferguson, MO, where the prosecutor was the county attorney who worked on the side of the police everyday. Apparently, that was not a conflict.

Marilyn Mosby is the State's attorney. She is far more removed from any conflict.

She's new, but she's going to do a fine job. She knew instinctively that the bullshit being played by the Baltimore Police would not fly, and they would have a municipal war on their hands is she didn't act quickly.

She did act, and she's just exactly what the situation needed. Anyway, because of the severity of the allegation (2nd degree murder), the driver of the van will have to be taken before the Grand Jury. In Maryland, unlike Missouri, the GJ may not be given all the exculpatory evidence. It will be a straight probable cause standard.