The city of Baltimore in the US state of Maryland has issued a state of emergency on account of the riots taking place.

Upon the Monday night protests a number of private and business properties have been looted, police cars set on fire and several police officers have suffered severe injuries, as reported by the BBC.

The unrest started upon the funeral of the tragically killed African-American Freddie Gray. He died on April 19 after spending a week in a coma. He had been brutally beaten up and the circumstances around the case of police brutality are currently being investigated.

Six police officers have been suspended due to their involvement in the case.

Meanwhile, both Gray's mother and his twin sister have stated that they firmly oppose violent actions on the streets and do not believe them to be the way to affect a positive change.

"I want y'all to get justice for my son, but don't do it like this here," his mother told journalists, as quoted by the CNN.

The tragic incident happened less than a year after a similar situation in Ferguson, Missouri, where another African-American boy Michael Brown had been shot by a policeman.

Following the tragic events, a number of organized protests have arisen sparking the debate on racism and the extent of unaccountable police authorities all across the US.

US President Barack Obama has been briefed on the current situation in Baltimore and issued an order for violence on the streets to be restrained.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake criticized the civil unrest, stating that there is a difference between ''peaceful protests of those who seek justice'' and the ''thugs who want to incite violence''.

"This destruction we've seen this evening is heart-breaking," she added.

In addition, curfew has been issued for young children and teenagers between 10 pm and 5 am, and school has been cancelled for all on Tuesday for security purposes.

Governor Larry Hogan has also called the National Guard and asked for the deployment of 5,000 officers, noting that he did not take the decision lightly.

So far, twenty seven arrests have been made but the civil protest is still ongoing.