Former Raven and Baltimore sports icon Ray Lewis has taken to his social-media accounts to make an impassioned plea urging city residents to "get off the streets" and stop the riots.
Lewis' remarks, which you can see in full here, come in the wake of Monday's violence during which rioters destroyed property, looted businesses and set fires in downtown and West Baltimore. The violence followed days of mostly peaceful protests over the death of 25-year-old black man Freddie Gray, who suffered an as-yet unexplained spinal-cord injury while in police custody. Gray died at a hospital in surgery on April 19.
I've got a message for the rioters in Baltimore.
Posted by Ray Lewis on Tuesday, April 28, 2015
#Violence is not the answer. We must have #peace in our #city, we are a city that's built on #Believing in each other. #BaltimoreRiots
— Ray Lewis (@raylewis) April 28, 2015
We must come together,we can stop the violence as a #community.These kids have to have real leaders,we need everybody to join this #movement
— Ray Lewis (@raylewis) April 28, 2015
Maryland's governor has called in the National Guard on Monday for assistance and announced a curfew in the city of Baltimore for all residents.
On Saturday, some protesters near Camden Yards clashed with fans during an Orioles-Red Sox game.
Tuesday's contest between the Orioles and White Sox has been canceled. Monday's game was postponed as well. Wednesday's game will be played in an empty stadium.
