アフリカ系アメリカ人男性フレディー・グレイさん（25）が警察に逮捕された際に負った傷が原因で拘留中に死亡した問題で4月27日に暴動が発生し、メリーランド州ボルティモアの街が炎で明るく照らされた。
テレビの画面や新聞の紙面、ラジオ放送では暴動による破壊でボルティモアは無法地帯と化したと伝えられている。たしかに不法行為だし、正当化できない。しかし、こうした報道は全体像を捉えているとは言い難い。ボルティモアで抗議活動をする人々の全てが暴徒化する訳でもないし、ボルティモアの暴動が手におえない状況に陥っている訳でもない。また街の声がすべて届けられている訳でもないのだ。
ボルティモアのギャングメンバーたちは、警察官を殺害するために暴動をやめるという噂を否定した。地域住民たちは通りの清掃を行った。平和的な抗議者たちは、暴徒化した人々の危険な犯罪行為を拒否した。そして、幼い男の子が警察隊と交流するこの写真が、この街のリアルな姿を雄弁に物語っている。
この少年を見たら、抗議している「本物のリーダー」が世間で思われているほど年をとっている訳ではないことがわかる。
今日、街の清掃に参加する写真が多くアップされたが、この写真はひときわ雄弁だ。#baltimore
Baltimore Protests
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A demonstrator raises his fist as police stand in formation as a store burns, Monday, April 27, 2015, during unrest following the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore. Gray died from spinal injuries about a week after he was arrested and transported in a Baltimore Police Department van. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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michaelcharles/Instagram
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Fire Fighter attempt to put out a building that was set on fire during riots in Baltimore, USA on April 27, 2015. Protests following the death of Freddie Gray from injuries suffered while in police custody have turned violent with people throwing debris at police and media and burning cars and businesses. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
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Baltimore firefighters battle a three-alarm fire at Gay and Chester Streets on Monday, April 27, 2015, in Baltimore. It was unclear whether it was related to ongoing riots. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun/TNS via Getty Images)
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An officer stands near a blaze, Monday, April 27, 2015, after rioters plunged part of Baltimore into chaos, torching a pharmacy, setting police cars ablaze and throwing bricks at officers. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
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sarahismile/Instagram
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Firefighters battle a blaze, Monday, April 27, 2015, after rioters plunged part of Baltimore into chaos, torching a pharmacy, setting police cars ablaze and throwing bricks at officers. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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Firefighters battle a blaze, Monday, April 27, 2015, after rioters plunged part of Baltimore into chaos, torching a pharmacy, setting police cars ablaze and throwing bricks at officers. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
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An injured police officer is carried away by his fellow officers on Westbury Avenue in Baltimore during riots on Monday, April 27, 2015. (Erica Green/Baltimore Sun/TNS via Getty Images)
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A man walks past a burning police vehicle, Monday, April 27, 2015, during unrest following the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore. Gray died from spinal injuries about a week after he was arrested and transported in a Baltimore Police Department van. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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A car burns Monday, April 27, 2015, during unrest following the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore. (Lloyd Fox/The Baltimore Sun via AP)
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Looters empty the CVS at Pennsylvania and North Avenues during riots on Monday, April 27, 2015, in Baltimore. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun/TNS via Getty Images)
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Sam Wirtz, left, an employee of the store, surveys the damage Monday, April 27, 2015, during unrest following the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore. (Lloyd Fox/The Baltimore Sun via AP)
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Smoke billows from a CVS Pharmacy store in Baltimore on Monday, April 27, 2015. Demonstrators clashed with police after the funeral of Freddie Gray. Gray died from spinal injuries about a week after he was arrested and transported in a Baltimore Police Department van. (AP Photo/Juliet Linderman)
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Police move a protester back, Monday, April 27, 2015, following the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
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Baltimore Police officers arrest a man near Mowdamin Mall, April 27, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. The funeral service for Freddie Gray, who died last week while in Baltimore Police custody, was held on Monday morning. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
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Firefighters prepare to put out a fire at a store, Monday, April 27, 2015, during unrest following the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore. Gray died from spinal injuries about a week after he was arrested and transported in a Baltimore Police Department van. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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A protester is detained, Monday, April 27, 2015, following the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
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Men clean up during a protest, Monday, April 27, 2015, following the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
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A brick sits on a street as police standby, Monday, April 27, 2015, during a skirmish with demonstrators after the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore. Gray died from spinal injuries about a week after he was arrested and transported in a Baltimore Police Department van. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Baltimore Police officers confront protestors on Reisterstown Road near Mondawmin Mall, April 27, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. The funeral service for Freddie Gray, who died last week while in Baltimore Police custody, was held on Monday morning. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
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A man carries items from a store as police vehicles burn, Monday, April 27, 2015, after the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore. Gray died from spinal injuries about a week after he was arrested and transported in a Baltimore Police Department van. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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A boy throws a brick at police, Monday, April 27, 2015, during unrest following the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore. Gray died from spinal injuries about a week after he was arrested and transported in a Baltimore Police Department van. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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A protestor during riots in Baltimore, USA on April 27, 2015. Protests following the death of Freddie Gray from injuries suffered while in police custody have turned violent with people throwing debris at police and media and burning cars and businesses. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
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A police vehicle chases protestors away in a parking lot along Reisterstown Road near Mondawmin Mall, April 27, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. A group of young protestors clashed with police in the streets near Mondawmin Mall in the afternoon following Freddie Gray\'s funeral. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
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A demonstrator walks past police with a brick as they respond to thrown objects, Monday, April 27, 2015, after the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore. Gray died from spinal injuries about a week after he was arrested and transported in a Baltimore Police Department van. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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A boy throws a brick at a police van, Monday, April 27, 2015, during a skirmish between demonstrators and police after the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore. Gray died from spinal injuries about a week after he was arrested and transported in a Baltimore Police Department van. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Baltimore Police officers in riot gear walk toward protestors along Reisterstown Road near Mondawmin Mall, April 27, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. A group of young protestors clashed with police in the streets near Mondawmin Mall in the afternoon following Freddie Gray\'s funeral. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
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A police officer throws an object at protestors, Monday, April 27, 2015, following the funeral of Freddie Gray in Baltimore. Gray died from spinal injuries about a week after he was arrested and transported in a Baltimore Police Department van. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Baltimore Police officers push back a protestor on Reisterstown Road near Mowdamin Mall, April 27, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. The funeral service for Freddie Gray, who died last week while in Baltimore Police custody, was held on Monday morning. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
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A Baltimore Police officers in riot gear push protestors back along Reisterstown Road near Mondawmin Mall, April 27, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. A group of young protestors clashed with police in the streets near Mondawmin Mall in the afternoon following Freddie Gray\'s funeral. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
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Policemen rest during a riot over the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, on April 27, 2015. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
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Police line up outside Mondawmin Mall during riots in Baltimore, USA on April 27, 2015. Protests following the death of Freddie Gray from injuries suffered while in police custody have turned violent with people throwing debris at police and media and burning cars and businesses. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
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