MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript: 2015 Baltimore Riots
Interview
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LUI: I`m joined out by phone by Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger...
REP. C.A. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER, (D) MARYLAND: Yes, Dutch Ruppersberger.
LUI: OK. Thank you for joining us, Congressman.
RUPPERSBERGER: Sure.
LUI: You`re from Maryland, and what do you know and what have you heard
about what`s happening here?
RUPPERSBERGER: Well, first thing, I`m homegrown from Baltimore. I
represent the Baltimore region, small part of Baltimore but very upset.
When you grew up in a town, when you`re proud of your town or from
Baltimore that we just celebrated the War of 1812, the Francis Scott Key --
Baltimore is a great place to be and to raise a family. And this is very
disappointing what is occurred.
And you have to understand that there are many people extremely upset
because they feel that there has not been justice as far as Freddie Gray.
But, you know, when you have a small group who are setting places on fire,
you know, that are looting, that are bringing innocent people and
attempting to attack them or harass them, that`s not what we want people to
know what Baltimore is about.
So now, what we have to do is come together. We`ve got to call out to
citizens in Baltimore area especially in the neighborhoods to please stand
up and try to let, at this point, the juveniles or anyone...
LUI: Right.
RUPPERSBERGER: ... that wants to be involve in violence to stop it.
You`re hurting yourself.
And, you know, another issue too is that there was a funeral today, Freddie
Gray`s family from day one including his twin sister said, "Let`s not take
the violence route. That does nothing". And to really -- to have this
violence, the day he was buried, is not great for the family, is not great
for Baltimore and, you know, it`s got to stop because you have to have law
and order. Otherwise, innocent people will suffer and that`s not who we
are in Baltimore.
LUI: And the parallel might be, if we may for a second or an allusion
would be, of course, Ferguson as we look at Michael Brown and where he
lived. There were two or three shrines where he -- where his apartment was
at and just blocks away at Sam`s Deli, similar to what we`re seeing here at
CVS. To some degree, we`re not seeing of course fire at the CVS, what we
are seeing it appears to be looting of that location...
RUPPERSBERGER: I think one or two cars have been set on fire.
LUI: Right. There, in fact, we have pictures right now of one that is on
fire. We did see two at one point. We have the police vehicle that was
also damage and here is that picture again of this police vehicle on fire
with the van right behind it.
We have seven officers that have been injure. We believe one seriously
here in what has happen now, what we believe about two and a half hours
ago.
Congressman, have you spoken with any of the officials there in Baltimore,
the Baltimore Police Department, the Mayor, any of the council members have
got the information.
RUPPERSBERGER: In times like this, with the Mayor is extremely busy and is
she had a lot on her plate as long as the commissioner. And, you know, the
issue I think from the Mayor`s point of view is to make sure that she
communicate, you know, as much as she can or the commissioner. You know,
what we need to do, we have to, you know, we cannot tolerate violence.
I think if you look at what happen on Saturday night, we had also -- we`re
at baseball game right around the corner before these things occurred...
LUI: That`s correct.
RUPPERSBERGER: ... as if we showed a lot of restrain too, but in the end
when the people who are acting out and they`re breaking the law, that their
attacking innocent people when they`re looting stores, you know. Then, we
have to standup, that`s who we are to country, you know, and we need --
But in the other hand, solve this problem long-term. We have to understand
why there`s frustration out there in this neighborhood especially with
juveniles who live in areas that, where there`s a lot of poverty, who might
not give a future.
And then they feel that there has not been justice. You can see what the
problem is. Again, yet, you have (inaudible), you heard members of the
city council, you heard our Mayor, you heard other people talk about
(inaudible) where we have to change things, we`re going to investigate. We
have the federal government involved.
You know, we cannot continue to have this relationship between police, and
a lot of good policemen out there, put their lives in line everyday. And
that`s important to know too. And the actual, a few have cause a serious
problem and there`s a lack of distracts now and that`s what has to work
through.
LUI: And you are alluding to Saturday, April 25th, 35 people arrested, 6
officers were hurt on that Saturday and now, we are here on the Monday ,
the 27th, two days later seven officers injured. And we were listening to
the captain earlier and he was describing to us how the injuries progress
throughout the hours.
But there was the threat, the credible threat that the -- Baltimore police
did tweet out about six hours ago. And then, there were the preparations
no doubt after they believe they have found a credible threat to law
enforcement and then began to work with local and state law enforcement
partners, they were saying, after that particular threat.
What do you know of the threat? Were you also made aware of it and did you
have to offer a guidance on that?
RUPPERSBERGER: Well, first thing, I was a former prosecutor years ago, and
I`ve been in a lot of criminal work. I`m also -- I was the front man of
past ranking member of the intelligence committee, I do a lot (inaudible)
terrorism and national security. So intelligence is extremely important to
get information.
One of my biggest fears on what`s happening now, there will be gangs coming
together and attending to -- in site and attending to attack police
officers. When you attack your police in that chaos, no one is safe.
So we have to standup and make sure that we do things the right away, that
we have our communities standup, and I think a lot are comings have said,
that it`s represents the area where is this occurring the congress
(inaudible) comings, that it`s just -- it`s about -- there`s a lot of
injustice that we`re going to deal with that. We`re going to get the facts
and there`s going to be a consequence, there`s going to be a system that`s
follow. But that`s -- that we are -- But we also have to change things
because we cannot continue to go on the way things are now because there
will continue to be a lack of trust and we will have the situations over
and over again.
But when you threaten your police officers, when you threaten your
military, you know, and what I mean by that on international basis, what
al-Qaeda is doing and that type of thing.
I mean you have to standup because you have to have justice. Otherwise, if
you allow this bad people to just went in site and will take juveniles and
try to -- have them in site, then no one is safe especially innocent people
who live in this neighborhoods who love Baltimore and they would be able to
walk, walk down the street.
A business center doesn`t want to worry about his store being looted, and
everything that he is lived for and (inaudible) for is gone. And that`s
why you have to expect that you have to get a community group and I think
the mayor is done a good job in getting together ministers who have a lot
of -- listeners who listen to them and the community leaders, you heard in
NAACP.
I think the mayor has reach out to this people and saying, "You got to help
us, we have to standup, and we have to stop it".
LUI: Yes. What...
RUPPERSBERGER: ... because tolerate injustice and...
(CROSSTALK)
LUI: Congressman, we are watching clearly a limited group of dozens that
have decided to hit the streets and go to the CVS and also attack vehicles,
police vehicles, in the area and we will see what happens in the coming
hours.
Maryland Congressmen Ruppersberger, thank you so much for...
RUPPERSBERGER: OK. Take care.
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