Obama: 'No excuse' justifies the violence we saw in Baltimore

Following the escalation of unrest in Baltimore, Maryland, in response to the death of a young Black man in police custody, the President of the United States criticized the high instances of 'problematic interactions' between police and Black citizens. However, he stated that this should not be an excuse for rioting. Protests in the city began after Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old Black man, died a week after being arrested by Baltimore police on April 12, due to spinal injuries and a spinal cord injury. According to the Associated Press, after the street protests turned violent, Barack Obama on Tuesday criticized the way some police officers interact with Black individuals, while also condemning those who engage in violence and vandalism during the protests. The President labeled those who loot stores and set buildings and vehicles on fire as 'criminals,' asserting that these individuals are not protesters expressing their grievances but rather thieves. After a brief period of relative calm following Mr. Gray's funeral, street protests resumed in Baltimore yesterday. With the rise in violence, a state of emergency was declared in the city, and the governor of Maryland called for the National Guard to restore order. In a joint press conference with the Prime Minister of Japan at the White House, Mr. Obama stated that officials should not only pay attention to a segment of society when a store is set ablaze or a young man is shot or injured in custody, but that the underlying reasons for these young individuals ending up in jail must be investigated. The President emphasized that 'no excuse' justifies the violence witnessed in Baltimore the previous day. Reports indicate that around 200 people were arrested during Monday's protests, and at least 15 police officers were injured. This is not the first instance of the death of Black suspects in encounters with police.