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Baltimore Cleanup: Community Starts To Heal, Moving Images Surface [Photos]

By Patricia Didelot
Published on: 13:38 PST, Apr 29, 2015

Baltimore cleans up after violent riots left areas of the city in ruins. The community is attempting to come together, and on Wednesday, moving images of their efforts surfaced.

The photo of the little African-American boy handing out a bottle of water to exhausted Baltimore riot police officers went viral. This is an indication that the city and the nation is ready to move on and deal with the problems this community faces.

Bishop M. Cromartie, a senior pastor at Prophetic Deliverance Ministries, said the photo was taken as he and others came out to the streets to help with the Baltimore cleanup. On Monday, things got completely out of hand when demonstrators decided to turn against their own and burned down cars and local businesses.

According to Mashable, Cromartie told Bustle that the boy acted on his own, showing how even someone so young was concerned about the police.

“(The boy) actually was the only one handing out water — that stood out by himself — and what was so intriguing was he was doing it on his own. It showed that he had a mind of his own that, despite everything that was going on, that he still wanted to make sure the police were okay and he may be realizing that someday he’s going to need the police. The police officer did not take the water and I didn’t expect him to. I would not take it considering what’s going on and how people are feeling.”

But that was not the only encouraging image to come out on Wednesday as Baltimore cleans up the mess left behind by the rioters. There are many examples of members of the community who are trying to do their part and change things in their city.

A Baltimore police officer getting a fist pump from a black young man; another cop holding a child, who doesn’t seem to be afraid of him; a man forming a heart with his hands; three young men kneeling in prayer; and a human chain that seemed to be protecting the police lines, are all welcome signs in a city that desperately needs hope.

[Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images]

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