From the Bishop of Baltimore: violence does not serve the cause of justice

Baltimore: Archbishop Lori calls for calm, dialogue

Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, Md., USA

28/04/2015

(Vatican Radio) The Archbishop of Baltimore, William E. Lori, has called for calm and good-faith dialogue in the wake of violent unrest that has left several police officers injured in the US city. “Of course we have to seek justice,” Archbishop Lori told Vatican Radio in a brief telephone interview, “of course we have to address systemic issues of poverty and lack of education and opportunity, and we have to build bridges of trust in our community.” Nevertheless, “The way to achieve this is not [through] violence,” Archbishop Lori continued. “It’s important for us to express our views forcefully, openly, but in a way that is non-violent: violence does not serve the cause of justice,” he said.

The riots broke out on Monday, with hundreds of people looting stores and burning buildings following the funeral of a 25-year-old black man who died after suffering a spinal injury while in police custody. At least 15 police officers were injured in the violence, which broke out blocks from the venue of the funeral of Freddie Gray, and spread through much of west Baltimore. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency and called out the National Guard, while a curfew was imposed in the city starting Tuesday evening.
“I would invite everyone please to pray for the city, to pray for the Archdiocese, and to pray that peace and justice may reign,” Archbishop Lori said.