Many of the likely and official 2016 presidential candidates have weighed in on the violent protests that have consumed the city of Baltimore, Maryland, following the funeral of Freddie Gray, who died after suffering a severe spinal injury while in policy custody.
Here’s our roundup of what presidential contenders have said about the violence:
1) Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) in statement Monday: “I’m saddened that the city I love is in such pain this night. All of us share a profound feeling of grief for Freddie Gray and his family. We must come together as one city to transform this moment of loss and pain into a safer and more just future for all of Baltimore’s people.”
2) Hillary Clinton on Twitter Monday: “Tonight I am praying for peace & safety for all in Baltimore, & for Freddie Gray’s family — his death is a tragedy that demands answers.”
Tonight I am praying for peace & safety for all in Baltimore, & for Freddie Gray’s family – his death is a tragedy that demands answers. -H
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) April 28, 2015
3) Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) in a statement Tuesday: “No man, woman, or child should fear for his or her safety in America — not in their schools, not in their neighborhoods, not in their cities — but today families are scared. Our government must perform its central functions and purposes: To preserve the peace, protect the people, and serve justice. The government exists to ensure our domestic security — whether it’s from a city riot, or the threat of a terrorist attack on our homeland. We have to restore that trust and prove to the people we can make America safe again.”
4) Dr. Ben Carson in a statement Tuesday: “As a former resident of the city of Baltimore, it is very unfortunate to see the destruction taking place by irresponsible individuals. It is vital to remember that the best way to create positive change is through peaceful conversation and policy ideas that display a commitment to resolution. … I urge parents, grandparents and guardians to please take control of your children and do not allow them to be exposed to the dangers of uncontrolled agitators on the streets.”
5) Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) on Twitter Tuesday: “Our prayers for restoration of peace in Baltimore.”
Our prayers for restoration of peace in Baltimore. – SKW
— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) April 28, 2015
6) Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kent.) during a radio interview Tuesday with Laura Ingraham: “It’s depressing, it’s sad, it’s scary. … There are so many things we can talk about. … The breakdown of the family structure, the lack of fathers, the lack of sort of a moral code in our society. This isn’t just a racial thing. It goes across racial boundaries.”
