Latino Support: Latinos in Baltimore march for Freddie Gray & other lost Black Americans

John Rodriguez

April 30, 2015

On April 12 in Baltimore, Maryland, Freddie Gray suffered terrible injuries to his spine and larynx after coming into contact with Baltimore Law Enforcement which led to his death on April 19. Since his death, the Black community has protest against the continued treatment of Black Americans when coming into contact with law enforcement.

And now, joining in the protest Latinos in Baltimore are joining in.

In an effort to march in solidarity and to hopefully change the angry climate of rioting into a peaceful protest, the Latino group known as Casa de Maryland took part in a gathering last night at the group’s office near Patterson Park.

According to the group, their gathering is “to march for justice and pray for peace in solidarity with African-American brothers and sisters,” and plan on walking in a prayer vigil for Gray and other Black Americans who have died due to the color of their skin.

“The murder of Freddie Gray is only the latest and most egregious act of a crippling criminal justice infrastructure that treats young African-American and Latino youth as presumptive criminals,” said the executive director of CASA Gustavo Torres.

Casa de Maryland is the largest Latino and immigrant rights organization within the Maryland region. The group has recently joined a coalition which wants the state to convene on a special legislative session that aims to address police accountability, investment bettering the communication within urban communities, and other issues that may make the lives of Blacks and Latinos problematic in the area.

What Casa de Maryland and other groups like them are trying to is what should be done in order to bring an end to the countless, and unnecessary deaths of young Black Americans in the country. There needs to be discussion and then action on how the relationship can become better between both the community and those who are supposed to protect it and not cause harm within it. Making those in Law Enforcement sensible to the feelings and fears that Blacks, Latinos, and other non-White may have towards them could be the relationship and also provide a sense that a young Black man or woman wouldn’t be harmed or worse due to the color of their skin.