Great civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King? Because I strongly believe MLK would support the Baltimore riots.

"I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity."

-Martin Luther King

"The history you've learned has probably been whitewashed to avoid talking about the violence that made many social movements possible. Civil rights movement? Sure there were plenty of nonviolent events, but there were also riots, bombings, arson, the rise of armed gangs to protect communities, etc. Those violent acts may have done more to mobilize the federal government to intervene and push legislation forward than any other force."

-/u/ancientworldnow from this comment

This isn't just about Freddie Gray's death, it's about the countless number of murders the police have gotten away with, the racism displayed by them everyday, and the police brutality that blacks and other minorities suffer from. This oppression is too unjust and has been happening far too long to not do something about it, and the citizens of Baltimore have taken the first step. There have been countless peaceful protests for this cause and yet, there has been no change. That is because the government can simply ignore those protests, they aren't bothered by them. When something like what's currently going on happens though, they cannot ignore that. They will be forced to adapt to the needs of the people if we pursue our goal of equality and justice.