Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, one of the city's most prominent sports figures, pleaded for calm after days of unrest in Baltimore erupted into full-scale riots on Monday.
Lewis took to Facebook in an emotional plea for protesters to stop the violence following the Monday funeral of Freddie Gray, who died of a spinal cord injury in police custody and reignited debate over law enforcement's treatment of black men.
Lewis reminded instigators that their actions do nothing to honor Gray.
"Baltimore, get off the streets!" he said in the video below. "Kids, go home, stay home. You don't have no right to do what you're doing to this city. Too many hardworking people built this city."
I've got a message for the rioters in Baltimore.
Posted by Ray Lewis on Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Lewis reinforced his message on Twitter.
Knicks player Carmelo Anthony, a Baltimore native, made a separate plea for peace in an Instagram post late Monday.
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