Reporting from location in Baltimore, "All In" host Chris Hayes discussed the role that members of the Crips and Bloods gangs have played in the recent civil unrest.
He tossed the segment to Touré, who spoke with Nico Caldwell, a self-proclaimed Blood, who said that his gang was "founded on the idea of protecting our neighborhood," and that the alliance with the Crips is merely an extension of that. "That's our ideology. We decided to go back to our roots, because we are tired of the [damage] the police are doing to us on a daily basis."
However, he shot down the rumor that the Crips and Bloods had united in order to "go after the cops." Caldwell said that the rumor started after a group of Crips and Bloods who were defending a store had a tear gas canister launched at them. He insisted that "we don't want any problems with the police -- we don't want anyone else hurt. We don't want shooting. We want a cease fire."
The purpose of the gang presence, he explained, was to let the community know that there are members who will do what they can to prevent further looting. "We are here to make sure these stores are protected," Caldwell said.
Touré said that "it would shock many Americans to hear Crips and Bloods talking about peace," and Caldwell replied that "it doesn't matter what gang you identify with -- you could be a civilian out on the streets and commit a harmful act. Some of us have made a wrong choice when we joined these gangs, but some of us, when we joined these gangs, didn't have families."
Watch the entire segment via "All In" below.
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