School was canceled in Baltimore Tuesday morning, in the aftermath of massive rioting on the day of Freddie Gray’s funeral. The riots turned violent after police showed up en masse at Mondawmin Mall in riot gear to confront rumors of planned lawlessness. By night’s end, some 15 police officers were injured, as cars were burned, and stores looted across various parts of the city.
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake lamented in a controversial tweet, “Too many people have invested in building up this city to allow thugs to tear it down. She added in a statement that announced a city curfew, “It’s idiotic to think that by destroying your city, you’re going to make life better for anybody.”
But many of the young people off from school today are telling their own story of Baltimore, with a massive, largely impromptu clean-up effort that is sweeping through the city:
Impromptu Baltimore cleanup crew. They didn't know each other before this morning. pic.twitter.com/QVfrFyPKos
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 28, 2015
Young kids are using their day off from school to clean the streets of West Baltimore. pic.twitter.com/DZw4GmhjLn
— Nicolás Medina Mora (@MedinaMora) April 28, 2015
Young people (very young) helping with clean up efforts outside burned out Baltimore CVS. pic.twitter.com/LYtI1DgpSs
— Athena Jones (@AthenaCNN) April 28, 2015
And some put together coordinated efforts:
About 1,000 people have signed up to clean up #Baltimore neighborhoods destroyed by rioting https://t.co/3Mer5KS8Us
— Eugene Scott (@Eugene_Scott) April 28, 2015
Citizens cleaning up Baltimore. Rec and Parks crews now helping. #Baltimore pic.twitter.com/pEekSBZVAz
— Aaron Gilchrist (@nbcaaron) April 28, 2015
Some took on Rawlings-Blake’s comments directly:
You realize the same people YOU called thugs are the very ones cleaning up empty police shell casings, right? @MayorSRB #FreddieGray
— Reggie Cunningham (@kidnoble) April 28, 2015