City Of Baltimore: The Most Significant Event Of The Riots So Far, And No One Is Talking About It
While every news outlet is focusing on the riots in Baltimore in response to the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray, a powerful scene took place on Baltimore’s streets Monday night, that no one is talking about. Amidst the riots, and looting, and destruction, while a state of emergency is issued, a curfew put in place, and the city of Baltimore burns, hundreds of clergymen and women banded together, linked arm-in-arm, to walk the streets, and take back their city.
WBAL reporter Deborah Weiner was on the streets of Baltimore to witness the remarkable event which brought together clergy of all denominations, young and old, in an effort to restore peace to their beloved city.
“These are the church leaders who are putting themselves in harm’s way to end the violence… they are linked arm-in-arm… one gentleman is in front in a wheelchair. One of the most extraordinary things here. The clergy have banded together, different denominations, Pastors and Imams, are heading right now across North Avenue, as Maryland’s churches try to have good prevail over evil.”
In the full ten-minute-long video, which can be found on the WBALTV 11 website, hundreds of people can be seen walking past burning cars, holding onto one another, as they march peacefully in contrast to the utter destruction being carried out by violent rioters throughout the city of Baltimore. In one of the most powerful scenes of the video, the enormous group of religious leaders fall to their knees as one, in a mass prayer for their city and those who’s lives have been touched, or destroyed, as a result of the violent protests. The same protests that have left more than a dozen police officers injured, with two still remaining in hospital.
“I asked the clergy what they thought of the State of Emergency that the Governor declared,” Weiner said. “They said there has been a State of Emergency way before tonight in Baltimore City, an emergency in poverty, lack of jobs [and] disenfranchisement from the political process. This was a long time coming.”
As the group of clergy knelt in prayer, others who were previously a part of the destruction of Baltimore, joined in, kneeling in solidarity with the peaceful march, hands raised in the air.
It’s a start, but it’s going to take many more people to truly take back the city of Baltimore, and restore the peace. An editorial in the Baltimore Sun called on everyone who supported peace to “take back the movement.”
“It will take the thousands who have already marched in peaceful solidarity with the Gray family’s cause, and the many thousands more who have silently supported them, to take back the movement, to drown out those few who choose chaos over order.”
Above all else, the city of Baltimore needs to be reminded of the actual cause behind this important movement. While looters worry only about breaking into a store and stealing what they feel is owed to them, and rioters destroy a city beloved by many, the family of Freddie Gray grieves. And now, they grieve not only for the loss of their son and brother, but also for the city of Baltimore, their home.
[Image Credit: CNN]
