Thousands of demonstrators marched through the streets of Baltimore on Saturday in response to the death of Freddie Gray while in police custody. Rallies have been held every day since Gray’s death on April 19. This is by far the largest.

The plan was to ‘shut the city down’. Citizens from all over Baltimore joined together to voice their anger about police brutality towards minorities.

While the majority of those marching were peaceful, several ‘splinter groups’ were violent and volatile. Protesters smashed the windows of cars, including several police vehicles. Others throw tables and chairs through storefront windows. Several shops were looted including some in the downtown mall.

One protester was even so bold has to through a flaming metal garbage can at police officers in riot gear.

By far, the most distributive protestors were those walking from City Hall to the Camden Yards just after nightfall. Many fights broke out in the bars that surround the Orioles baseball stadium in the Yards.

During the Oriole/ Red Sox game, fans were told to remain in their seats and within the stadium until police were able to clear the streets near the exit. Numerous fans stood up in the aisles in solidarity with the protests going on outside.

Over 1,200 police officers, the majority in riot gear, were sent downtown to control the scene and try to keep the peace. So far 12 people have been arrested and five officers have been injured.

“I’m proud of our residents,” said Police Commissioner Anthony Batts. “The majority of the people here did a great job.” He blames the violence on interlopers from outside of Baltimore.

“Unfortunately a small group of agitators turned what was otherwise a peaceful demonstration into a violent protest,” said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. “This is something that’s unacceptable to me and everyone who lives in Baltimore,” she said.

In a 2011 analysis, the Maryland police force was dubbed one of the deadliest in the country.

This reality is best epitomized in the hit HBO TV series “The Wire”. In the very first episode, police officers from the Western District discuss how the best way to patrol the streets is to “collect bodies, split heads … the Western District way.”

Freddie Gray was from that very neighborhood of Baltimore.