Obama calls Baltimore Rioters "Black Heroes"
Praise for the protesters - President Obama called the Baltimore rioters “Black Heroes” at a press conference this morning.
Three weeks have passed since African American Baltimore resident, 25-year old Freddie Gray, fell into a coma in the back of a police van after having been arrested for carrying a switchblade knife - two weeks have passed since he was pronounced dead in a Baltimore hospital - one week has passed since the public protests commenced in downtown Baltimore.
The riots that have ensued have been bloody, with dozens of people sent to hospital, and a number of people dead. Looters, as well as arsons and general troublemakers have been rampant in downtown Baltimore and police have deemed the situation “out of control”.The violence rapidly spread on the 27th of April, with two patrol cars were destroyed and fifteen officers were injured. A police cruiser was destroyed, and some officers suffered broken bones. On the 28th of April, Baltimore mayor's office reported that there were 144 vehicle fires, 19 structural fires, and nearly 200 arrests.
This morning at a press conference about the situation is Baltimore, Obama made a surprisingly supportive statement of those who wreak havoc in the city. This is what he had to say. - My fellow Americans, what’s happening in Baltimore is an expression of black anger, of black retribution and of black vengeance. You can only prod a bull so many times without expecting to get the horns. Those young black men who’re out there showing their discontent with the current system have my full support - I was one of them a long time ago. While I do not condone those who injure others, sometimes chaos has to erupt before a new order can be established. The Baltimore Rioters are the Black Heroes of America. Democrats and Republicans alike were shocked by the president’s statement and many of his closest people appeared to want to cut off the speech as soon as possible - Joe Biden exchanged some, what appeared to be, heated words with the president after he concluded his speech. Obama’s words have drawn immense backlash online with people labelling what he said as “incitement to violence” and “worship of thugs”, but many support his sentiment and are comparing him to civil rights activists such as Martin Luther King and Malcom X. This is the first time that president Obama has expressed positivity in a similar situation, with Trayvon Martin and Mike Brown he was silent. Experts believe that the death of Freddie Gray was the straw that broke the camels back and forced Obama to be open with his more revolutionary proclivities. We will bring you further updates on the Obama pressconference as they appear, in the meantime, you can discuss this under the hashtag