Thousands march in Baltimore protest, with some violence

Baltimore: Thousands of protesters took to the streets to demand answers in the case of a 25-year-old black man who died in police custody after suffering a fatal spine injury.

After hours of peaceful demonstrations, pockets of protesters smashed police car windows and storefronts.

The protests came a day after Deputy Commissioner Kevin Davis said Freddie Gray should have received medical attention at the spot where he was arrested, before he was put inside a police transport van handcuffed and without a seat belt, a violation of the department's policy.

Gray's death on April 19 has intensified a national debate over police treatment of African-Americans. It has been compared to those of unarmed black men who died at the hands of police in New York City and Ferguson, Missouri, cases that sparked social unrest around the US

Gray was arrested after he made eye contact with officers and ran away, police said. Officers held him down, handcuffed him and loaded him into the van. While inside, he became irate and leg cuffs were put on him, police have said.

Authorities have not explained how or when Gray's spine was injured. Video showed him being dragged into a police van, and police have said he rode in it for about 30 minutes before paramedics were called.

Residents voiced their anger yesterday at how the department and the city's officials are handling the investigation into Gray's death.

Protesters threw cans and plastic bottles in the direction of police officers. One protester broke the window of a police cruiser, grabbed a police hat inside and wore it while standing on top of the cruiser with several other protesters.

At least two people were hurt in the mayhem, and at least a dozen were arrested.

In her first public comments since Gray's death, his twin sister, Fredricka Gray, appealed for calm.

"My family wants to say, can you all please, please stop the violence?" she said at a news conference with the mayor. "Freddie Gray would not want this."

Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said roughly 1,200 officers were deployed downtown and across the city to try and keep the peace. At least five officers were injured and 12 people were arrested. Batts said he believes the "very violent agitators" are not from Baltimore.

Earlier yesterday, the crowd paused for a moment of silence in front of Shock Trauma, the hospital where Gray died.