
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake ordered the police to stand down as riots and looting broke out across they city, a new report claims.

This comes as the Baltimore police said they did not expect the police report into the death of Freddie Gray to be released this Friday as was expected.

According to a senior law enforcement source, the embattled mayor effectively told her officers to do nothing as the city began to burn - raising questions as to whether the rioting could have been stopped.

Asked by Fox News if the mayor was responsible for the order, the source said, 'You are God damn right it was.'

Despite strenuous denials from the mayor herself, this news comes as Baltimore returned to relative calm after the chaos of Monday night as public schools reopened their doors and people returned to work on a bright spring morning.

This new revelation follows fierce criticism of the Democrat mayor and her handling of the entire crisis since Freddie Gray died on April 19 from wounds sustained from his April 12 arrest.

Over the weekend, the mayor said she was backing off, lest she encourage those 'who wished to destroy'.

Indeed, the mayor denied she told her officers to stand-off the rioters on Monday and in an interview with Fox News' Bill Hemmer, repeated this.

'You have to understand, it is not holding back. It is responding appropriately,' said Blake.

In addition to accusations of being a soft-touch, the mayor has had to deny accusations she took far too long to declare an emergency and request the National Guard.

Governor Larry Hogan said that he didn't exercise his executive authority and send the troops in, because 'We didn't think it was appropriate to come in and take over the city without the request of the mayor.'

However, he did say that as soon as the mayor phoned him, 'it was about 30 seconds before we completely activated all of the resources that we had to bear.'

Blake dismissed this and said, 'We responded very quickly to a very difficult situation. 'It's understandable to armchair quarterback and second-guess, but there is a very delicate balancing act that you have to do in order to respond but not over-respond.'

Regardless, with the city effectively shut down yesterday following Monday's fiery city-wide riots, the resumption of the morning rush proved a vindication for the stringent curfew put in place last night.

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Spring calm: Members of the the National Guard patrol Baltimore's Inner Harbor, while a woman walks her dog, following the citywide riots that broke out on Monday

Schooling: Students at all of Batlimore's public schools returned to classes today after the entire system was shut down on Tuesday

Unprecedented: The stands are seen empty before the Baltimore Orioles play the Chicago White Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Empty of fans: The upper deck refreshment area is seen empty before the Baltimore Orioles play the Chicago White Sox at Oriole Park

Eerie: An entrance sits empty before the Baltimore Orioles play the Chicago White Sox at an empty Oriole Park

Keeping order: Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake addresses the media on Tuesday - the day after she allegedly told police to stand down as the Baltimore riots began on Monday. (right) Baltimore officers guard the intersection of Pennsylvania Ave and North street which was the epicenter of last night's sporadic clashes and Monday's city-wide riots

Postponed: Captain Eric J. Kowalczyk said that the highly anticipated police report into the death of Freddie Gray will not be published on Friday as expected

Taking stock: People go about their daily business at the intersection of Pennsylvania Ave and North street. Visible is a charred bus stop

Quiet reflection: A woman stops outside the front of the CVS Pharmacy that was gutted by fires set by rioters and looters on Monday in Baltimore

National guard members take a position at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore as they prepared to ensure another night of curfew after leaders called last night's a success

Patrol: National Guard troops stand at their positions in the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore after the curfew celebrated its first successful night

Order restored: The intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and West North Street resembles any other busy Wednesday morning. The only giveaway that something dramatic occurred are the boarded up windows of the CVS pharmacy and the line of television satellite vans

Onlookers peer into the CVS that was destroyed during the protests that hit northwest Baltimore after the funeral of Freddie Gray on Monday

Community spirit: Volunteers help clean the CVS that was destroyed during protests over the death of Freddie Gray

Poignant: The streets of Baltimore were largely quiet overnight, with only scattered arrests reported during a curfew imposed after the latest wave of rioting fueled by anger against U.S police killings of black men

Heavily armed: A member of the the National Guard monitors activity in the Inner Harbor, while a man reads a newspaper, and another runs with his dog

Peace and calm: A member of the National Guard gets out of a Humvee while posted outside City Hall on Wednesday

Rest: Riot police shields lay on a concrete bench in the inner harbor under close monitoring by the National Guard following days of citywide riots and protests regarding the death of Freddie Gray

Enforced by 3,000 extra police and National Guardsmen, the streets that had been rocked by massive unrest were quiet following the ending of the curfew at 5am with no reports of disturbances in the early hours.

Indeed, going on the numbers alone, the curfew was a resounding success.

On Monday, 235 people - including 34 juveniles were arrested, 19 buildings set ablaze, 20 police injured and 144 vehicles torched.

On Tuesday, 10 people were arrested and one police officer was injured.

But life is unlikely to get completely back to normal anytime soon: The curfew is set to go back into effect again tonight at 10 p.m and the city will once again hold its breath as tensions remain high.

'While things are way better than they are its not over yet,' said Governor Larry Hogan.

'We still have concerns of possible unrest'.

Attempting to keep expectations low, Hogan said that along with Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake they can't promise that respect for the rule of law has returned to the city.

'You can't ensure that there's not going to be any unrest. I'm not a magician,' Hogan said to the Baltimore Sun. 'What I can assure you is that we will put all the resources that we have at our disposal to make sure that disturbances don't get out of hand.'

This comes as it was announced a midday a prayer vigil will be held for Freddie Gray, the 25-year-old whose death after being fatally wounded in police custody sparked the protests.

And baseball officials - in what promised to be one of the weirdest spectacles in major-league history - announced that Wednesday's Baltimore Orioles game at Camden Yards would be closed to the public for safety reasons - the first time in history.

But for a time last night fears grew the city would descend into riots far worse than Monday's - with the police and protestors engaging in a huge stand-off to see who blinked first.

Thousands of police officers in Baltimore, Maryland threw tear gas and fired rubber bullets as they marched on about 100 defiant protesters who refused to go home and heed a city-wide curfew Tuesday night.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan ordered 2,000 National Guardsmen and 1,000 law enforcement officers onto the streets to head off a repeat of the violence that erupted Monday night in some of the city's poorest neighborhoods in response to the death 25-year-old local man Freddie Gray.

About twenty minutes after curfew, a line of police in riot armor started slowing marching on the remaining protesters, who responded by throwing plastic and glass bottles and laying down in the street to block the cops in a show of civil disobedience.

'This combined force will not tolerate violence or looting,' Governor Hogan warned.

The small crowd started to disperse though when police began throwing smoke bombs and firing rubber batons. When a few of the protesters still refused to move, police fired a volley of at least four cans of tear gas into the crowd. An ABC reporter was engulfed by a cloud of gas and had to be told to run as tears streamed from her face.

Protection: A store entrance is boarded up as a pedestrian walks through downtown on Wednesday after tensions seemed to ease after Monday's fiery riots

An Anne Arundel County policeman guards the intersection of North Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue, Wednesday, April 29, 2015, in Baltimore. Schools reopened across the city and tensions seemed to ease Wednesday

Members of the local community came together to try and stop any violent protestors getting near to the police.

Volunteers from the Empowerment Temple were handing out fod and bottles of water at the intersection of Pennsylvania and North Avenues.

While men wearing black shirt embossed with the logo of the 300 Men March stood in front of the riot police holding their bullet proof shields.

'We all know the confrontation that's in front of us is not a confrontation that's going to be won in this manner,' shouted Munir Bahar to the crows using a megaphone.

'For those out here who feel real tough, and you want to confront that, I suggest that everyone else back up, and let them release their toughness, and the consequences will follow.'

By midnight, the streets were mostly cleared when Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Batts held a press conference.

Batts said that 10 people had been arrested that day - two for looting, one for disorderly conduct and seven for violating curfew. Batts went on to say that the relatively low amount of arrests were evidence that the curfew worked.

'One of the biggest thing is citizens are safe, the city is stable and we hope to keep it that way,' Batts said.

The only people in Baltimore allowed to be out on the streets on Tuesday night were members of the media, and those going to work or experiencing a medical emergency.

Hands up: Thousands of police officers and National Guardsmen started marching on a small group of defiant protesters who refused to heed a curfew in Baltimore, Maryland Tuesday night

Back and forth: A protester throws a gas canister back at police during clashes at North Ave and Pennsylvania Ave in Baltimore, Maryland last night

Fire: Some of the first canisters thrown at protesters were only smoke, but there were later reports of tear gas or pepper balls that left some protesters and journalists with burning eyes

Smoke: Clouds of smoke and crowd control agents rise shortly after the deadline for a city-wide curfew passed in Baltimore, Maryland Tuesday night

Message to police: A protester flips off police after officers who shot smoke bombs in his direction Tuesday night in Baltimore, Maryland

Time to go home: A woman runs for safety as police throw tear gas canisters while enforcing curfew Tuesday night in Baltimore

Refusing to move: Protesters defy curfew and lay in the street in front of police officers the night after citywide riots over the death of Freddie Gray

Sitting and waiting: A man sits on a bicycle in front of a line of police officers in riot gear ahead of the 10pm curfew on Tuesday

Shortly after curfew Tuesday night, a group of about 100 protesters and a large number of journalists remained in the streets.

Law enforcement gave the group 20 extra minutes to leave the area, but when they refused to move, the officers started moving in a line, directing them out of the area.

At first, the officers shot smoke canisters which proved ineffective in the wind and due to protesters throwing them right back at their ranks.

One protester accidentally started a small fire when he threw a cannister back at police and it hit a tree outside a public library.

Luckily the flames were put out quickly and the library will be open tomorrow.

When the small contingent of protesters still remained in the street, officers started throwing tear gas and pelting protesters with rubber bullets and pellets filled with pepper spray - which seemed to disperse the remaining rioters from the street.

In a separate incident in south Baltimore, a small group of protesters injured a police officer by throwing a rock and they were promptly taken into custody.

Before curfew, locals tried to calm down some of the more agitated residents and send them home. A local pastor took to a loudspeaker and told the crowds to clear the street so they could 'show the world' the real Baltimore.

'Let's show them we can disperse in peace. Let's continue to move towards home. Respect your brothers and sisters asking you to leave,' she said.

Liquid weapon: A protester throws a gaterade bottle at police during protests in Baltimore, Maryland on Tuesday

Hard to breathe: Protesters flee after police fire tear gas during protests on West North Ave in Baltimore, Maryland on Tuesday after curfew

Not moving: Protesters sit in front of police lines on West North Ave during protests in Baltimore on Tuesday

For the camera: A protester celebrates after throwing a gas canister back at police during Tuesday night protests in Baltimore

Can't see: WMAR-TV correspondent Catherine Hawley covers her face as she encounters tear gas fired by police during protests on West North Ave in Baltimore, Maryland on Tuesday

Road block: A protester lies in front of a police barricade blocking the exit of a vehicle the night after citywide riots over the death of Freddie Gray last night in Baltimore, Maryland

Members of the National Guard walk through the streets of Baltimore, where they were deployed to enforce a 10pm curfew

Fight another day: One protester holds up a sign saying 'fight another day'. The other side of the woman's sign said 'go home'

In solidarity: The governor of Maryland has ordered a 10pm to 5am curfew for the city of Baltimore. At least 100 protesters remained in the streets even after the lockdown. Above, some of the protesters before curfew on Tuesday

Stand off: A protester faces off with police Tuesday night in Baltimore before the 10pm curfew

Act of kindness: This little boy was pictured handing out water bottles to police in Baltimore, Maryland on Tuesday, following a night of violent riots

Just before the 10pm curfew Fox News host Geraldo Rivea walked into the crowd and was surrounded by angry protesters - in the middle of a live broadcast.

One young man got right in Rivera's face and told him: 'I want you to get out of Baltimore. You're not here for the death of Freddie Gray!'

The man, who was wearing a black hoodie, continued shouting at Rivera and refused to get out of his way.

Another woman shouted out: 'Stop making money from exploiting black people!'

Rivera had to walk out to the side of the crowd where he continued his broadcast.

Baltimore police spokesman Captain Eric Kowalczyk said police were using a variety of measures to inform the public about the curfew.

Shortly before the curfew was to go into effect he said that police in cruisers were driving through neighborhoods using their cars' public address systems to notify residents of the 10pm curfew. He said police were also broadcasting the message using a police helicopter. Kowalczyk said the city was also using its Reverse 911 system to notify residents of the curfew.

Jascy Jones of Baltimore said the sight of National Guardsmen on the street gave her a 'very eerie feeling.'

'It brought a tear to my eye. Seeing it doesn't feel like the city that I love,' she said. 'I am glad they're here, but it's hard to watch.'

The clash came after a day of high tension but relative peace in Baltimore, which was rocked by looting and widespread arson Monday in the city's worst outbreak of rioting since 1968.

Police, city leaders and many residents condemned the violence, and hundreds of volunteers showed up Tuesday to sweep the streets of glass and other debris.

No leaving home: The governor of Maryland promised that the 10pm to 5am curfew would be enforced. Above, police stand in formation before the curfew Tuesday night

Beaking it up: A man stands in front of a line of police officers in riot gear as part of a community effort to disperse the crowd ahead of a 10pm curfew

Governor Larry Hogan, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and other officials made appearances throughout the day, promising to reclaim and restore pride to their city.

Baltimore Public Schools CEO Gregory Thornton said in a notice posted on the school system's website that schools will be open Wednesday. The notice said after-school sports and clubs will also take place.

But life was unlikely to get completely back to normal anytime soon: The curfew was to go back into effect at 10 p.m. Wednesday and baseball officials - in what may be a first in the sport's 145-year history - announced that Wednesday's Baltimore Orioles game at Camden Yards would be closed to the public.

The violence set off soul-searching among community leaders and others, with some suggesting the uprising was not just about race or the police department, but also about high unemployment, high crime, poor housing, broken-down schools and lack of opportunity in Baltimore's inner-city neighborhoods - issues that are not going away anytime soon.

Activists also stressed that they would continue to press authorities for answers in the case of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who died of a spinal-cord injury under mysterious circumstances while in police custody. His case spurred Monday's riots.

A group of pastors announced plans to hold a rally and prayer vigil for the city of Baltimore and Gray's family at noon Wednesday and to 'draw public attention to 17 police accountability bills the state legislature failed to pass during the recent legislative session.'

In an interview broadcast Wednesday on 'The Steve Harvey Morning Show,' President Barack Obama said the Baltimore riots show that police departments need to build more trust in black communities. He called on police departments 'to hold accountable people when they do something wrong' and said Attorney General Loretta Lynch is reaching out to mayors about resources to retrain police and provide body cameras.

The city of 622,000 is 63 percent black. The mayor, state's attorney, police chief and City Council president are black, as is 48 percent of the police force.

'You look around and see unemployment. Filling out job applications and being turned down because of where you live and your demographic. It's so much bigger than the police department,' said Robert Stokes, 36, holding a broom and a dustpan on a corner where some of the looting and vandalism took place.

He added: 'This place is a powder keg waiting to explode.'

He also said underlying social issues such as poor education, drugs and limited job opportunities must be addressed.

Gray was arrested April 12 after running away at the sight of police, authorities said. He was held down, handcuffed and loaded into a police van. Leg cuffs were put on him when he became irate inside. He died a week later.

Authorities said they are still investigating how and when he suffered the spinal injury - during the arrest or while he was in the van, where authorities say he was riding without being belted in, a violation of department policy.

Six officers have been suspended with pay in the meantime.

Baltimore was not the only place to see violence on Tuesday night.

In Ferguson, Missouri, a few dozen protesters took to the streets and confronted cops. According to scattered media reports from the St. Louis suburb, rioters threw rocks, bricks and even china plates at officers.

Police responded with smoke grenades in an attempt to get the protestors to disperse. It's the latest round of violence for the small city, which was rocked by looting and protests throughout the summer and winter in the wake of the shooting of unarmed teen Mike Brown last August.

Meanwhile, under the state of emergency Governor Hogan declared Monday, the more than 200 people arrested since the unrest began could wait longer than usual to have their day in court.

Normally, state law requires that people arrested without warrants appear before a court official within 24 hours of their arrests. But as part of the state of emergency, the governor extended the period to no later than 47 hours, according to a letter he sent Tuesday to Judge Barbara Baer Waxman, the administrative judge for the Baltimore District Court.

'This exercise of my authority is necessary to protect the public safety and to address the more than 200 arrests that were made by Baltimore Police Department and other law enforcement officials,' Hogan wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press.

Baltimore burning: As the curfew in Baltimore did not start until Tuesday evening, the crowds of violent mobs and riot police remained in force Monday night