Curfew quells worst of violence

A nighttime curfew on Tuesday restored a semblance of order to badly scarred Baltimore a day after riots dragged it into the national debate over how US police treat young black men.

Police fired smoke grenades and pepper pellets at protesters who defied the citywide clear-the-streets order starting at 10:00 pm.

And protesters threw bottles and other projectiles at a line of riot police protecting themselves with shields.