Stories of police brutality against blacks have become something of the norm for a while in the United States. With little repercussions for the white officers involved, it was only a matter of time before things fell apart, even for the world’s foremost democracy.

Sure a few flashpoints occurred in the Ferguson, Missouri protests following Michael Brown’s death, but nothing on this scale.

Baltimore has become a serious hellhole with protests following another death having escalated into protestor-police clashes. Freddy Gay died in the clutches of Baltimore police, after sustaining injuries that severed his spine and later led to his death.

According to New York Daily News, rioters torched buildings, destroyed police cars, and injured at least 15 police officers. 6 are said to have sustained very serious injuries, leading to the mayor being forced to declare a state of emergency.

The clashes erupted in the aftermath of Gray’s funeral, with the sense of injustice having reached fever pitch. The unruly crowd, made mostly of teens, wrecked patrol cars, looted stores and set several buildings on fire.

About 24 arrests have been made by Police so far, with the US’ famed National Guard in the Maryland city to prevent further unrest.

Baltimore has a higher profile in race relations than many other American cities. The acclaimed HBO series ‘The Wire’, was set in the city and depicted the hopeless lives of the lower class in contrast to the corruption filled one of the upper.

Somewhere, I can see Stringer Bell having a wry smile on his face.