“We Also Gave Those Who Wished to Destroy Space to Do That as Well.”

Did Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake meant what she actually said here in the wake of the destructive riots taking place in her city?

Apparently not as her office has sent out some clarifying remarks:

Rawlings-Blakes’ spokesman Howard Libit responded late Sunday saying that the mayor had been taken out of context.

“What she is saying within this statement was that there was an effort to give the peaceful demonstrators room to conduct their peaceful protests on Saturday. Unfortunately, as a result of providing the peaceful demonstrators with the space to share their message, that also meant that those seeking to incite violent also had the space to operate. The police sought to balance the rights of the peaceful demonstrators against the need to step in against those who were seeking to create violence.”

I want to believe that.  I honestly do.