New Protests in Baltimore Demand Justice for Freddie Gray

In Baltimore protesters continue to demand justice for Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who died on April 12 from injuries he suffered while in hands of the police. Hillary Clinton has weighed in on the situation, voicing support for reform of the criminal justice system. She said “there is something profoundly wrong when African American men are still far more likely to be stopped and searched by police, charged with crimes, and sentenced to longer prison terms than are meted out to their white counterparts. There is something wrong when a third of all black men face the prospect of prison during their lifetimes.” From Baltimore, TeleSUR correspondent Clayton Conn reports that approximately a thousand people have gathered outside City Hall, which is cordoned off by around 3,000 elements of the Maryland National Guard along with city police. A 10 pm curfew order will be imposed by the authorities for the second consecutive night. Last night the order was imposed with relatively minor clashes between protesters and police. Witnesses said that the police indiscriminately fired tear gas into the crowd. While much mainstream media coverage has focused on acts of violence, fundamental questions remain for Baltimore residents over the death of Freddie Gray, says Conn. One woman asks: “If black life can be snuffed out like this without recourse, what does that say about America?” Clayton Conn reports from Baltimore for teleSUR