By Stacey Wells ’15

In wake of the recent Baltimore police scandal in which a 25 year old black male suffered a spinal cord injury while in police custody and died, many citizens have bypassed peaceful protests in exchange for violent riots. They shattered store-front windows, threw rocks and bottles, pummeled police cars, and attempted to sabotage firefighters putting out fires. Police in full riot-gear were forced to subdue the crowds in an attempt to bring back peace. While the Constitution and the law allows civilized protests, these violent demonstrations erode the protesters’ arguments and only show them in a bad light. If these citizens want to make a positive difference, then they must protest peacefully—meaning signs, sit-ins and marches.

Six officers have been charged for Gray’s death, but peaceful protests would have brought the same amount of attention to the issue and the barbaric rioting could have been avoided. More peaceful demonstrations would present the protesters in a better light, and when a victory does come their way, they can rejoice that it was done through peace and not violence.