Former Baltimore police officer Neil Franklin said on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” that if former Democratic Maryland governor and potential presidential candidate Martin O’Malley comes to Baltimore, “you may see a riot.” (VIDEO: MSNBC Guest: American Policing ‘Founded On Anti-Blackness,’ Go On ‘Slave Patrols’)
HOST ANDREA MITCHELL: Well let me ask about Martin O’Malley, he was in the streets last night, he was seven-year mayor of Baltimore–
FRANKLIN: Oh my god, why did you have to say that name? I understand that he’s coming to Baltimore. Listen to what I have to say here: in 2005– I left Baltimore City as head of training in 2004. By then we had started this zero-tolerance, these programs here in Baltimore City under the leadership of then-Mayor O’Malley. In 2005, 108,000 people arrested in Baltimore city in one year; 620,000 people live in this city.
Now we’re talking about multiple arrests. That’s why the city got sued, because over 20 percent of the people who were arrested were released with no charges proffered because there was no probable cause for the arrest. Does that sound familiar? Freddie Gray, no probable cause for the arrest?
I don’t want to say this… well, I’m going to say it anyways. If he’s coming back to town, you may see a riot.
MITCHELL: Well, we don’t want to stir anything up here, either.
FRANKLIN: We don’t. I would encourage him not to come back to Baltimore.
It’s worth noting that despite Franklin’s comments, O’Malley already returned to Baltimore Tuesday night, and no riots broke out. However, reception to his arrival was reportedly mixed:
Former Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley here taking selfies. "Fuck that, this is his fault!" a man yells pic.twitter.com/GrMyW08ojZ
— Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) April 28, 2015