MSNBC’s Al Sharpton shielded Baltimore’s embattled Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake from reporters’ questions Thursday, going so far as to shove a Fox News reporter away from her honor.
Fox reported Wednesday that Rawlings-Blake had ordered Baltimore police to “stand down” Monday night as protests over the death in police custody of 25-year-old Freddie Gray erupted in rioting that caused widespread property damage.
As Charm City mobs tore up shops and burned down stores, Rawlings-Blake allegedly told Baltimore police, “Let them loot, it’s only property,” Fox News’ Leland Vitter reported, citing an anonymous law enforcement official.
Asked directly if the order was from Baltimore’s mayor, Vitter’s source said, “You are goddamn right it was.”
Rawlings-Blake has since disputed the Fox report, specifying that there was never an order for Baltimore police —who were seen beating hasty retreats from high school hooligans by viewers around the world Monday afternoon — to stand down.
“You have to understand, it is not holding back. It is responding appropriately,” she said.
Vitter tracked down the mayor Thursday to ask her exactly what she had told police officials as Baltimore burned.
The persistent Fox News reporter got no answer.
As Rawlings-Blake ignored questions directed at her by Vitter, Sharpton stepped in to tell members of the press when they would be able to ask the mayor their questions.
“You will have the opportunity [to ask questions],” Sharpton told Vitter, with a silent Rawlings-Blake silently following behind. “In [the] press conference, we will answer all your questions.”
From there, Sharpton pushed the reporter back into the press scrum.
Vitter, who has been on the ground in Baltimore covering the protests since early last weekend, has drawn high praise from media reporters.
