Baltimore Unrest: Police Credit Curfew as Overnight Violence Subsides
Smoke canisters and pepper balls were fired at protesters who defied curfew.
— -- Baltimore police credited an overnight curfew with helping to restore some level of order in a community shaken by violence and unrest.
Law enforcement fired smoke canisters and pepper balls after some protesters defied the curfew, which went into effect at 10 p.m. and continued until 5 a.m. By midnight, 10 arrests had been made, Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said.
"Curfew is, in fact, working," Batts said. "The city is stable. We'd like to keep it that way."
The curfew was implemented after a day of riots followed Monday's funeral of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who died with a spinal injury a week after police took him into custody.
After appeals to disperse as the 10 p.m. curfew began, including one on the ground from Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., and others in the air from police choppers, the police line slowly moved forward, but to no avail.
The 10 p.m. curfews are to continue for one week, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said, and could be extended as necessary. A 9 p.m. curfew was already in effect for children 14 and younger.
About 2,000 National Guardsmen were deployed to the city after Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency.
The riots began Monday afternoon shortly after the funeral of Gray, and resulted in more than 250 arrests and injuries to at least 20 police officers Monday night into Tuesday. A week of peaceful protests had preceded the violence.
President Obama Tuesday said there was "no excuse" for the violence, looting and arson.
"They're destroying and undermining businesses and opportunities in their own communities," he said in a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Public schools in Baltimore were scheduled to reopen today after being closed Tuesday. The Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox are scheduled to play this afternoon, although Camden Yards was to be closed to spectators.
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