baltimore leaders say the first night of the city's seven-day curfew effectively worked to calm the violence that erupted only 24 hours earlier.









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they're now hoping it's a sign of things returning to normal as schools in the city re-open their doors. but they admit there is still much work to be done to repair buildings ruined in the riots -- and to fix people's heartbreak.<u+00a0><u+00a0><u+00a0><u+00a0><u+00a0> 









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on tuesday, baltimore residents locked arms to join forces with more than a thousand police officers and 2,000 national guardsmen to enact the first night of the city's 10 p.m. curfew. 









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some defiant demonstrators refused to leave. but that resistance lasted only about 30 minutes, until officers fired flash bangs and tossed smoke canisters.









"i think the biggest thing is that citizens are safe; the city is stable," baltimore police commissioner anthony batts said. "we hope to maintain it that way."









tuesday night was a far cry from monday when rioters torched cars, tossed debris at police, and tore apart businesses.









officers only arrested 10 people tuesday, compared to more than 200 on monday.









it's an image many baltimore residents and church leaders spent their tuesday trying to erase. they hit the streets to work together and clean.









"we're all frustrated. we just need to find a better way to deal with this," baltimore resident alfonzo timmons said.









in the midst of monday's chaos, one overwrought baltimore mother was hailed a hero.









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when toya graham spotted her teenage son on live television throwing rocks at police, the single mom marched down to the street and fought to drag him home -- giving him a severe talking to on the way.









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she told reporters she didn't want to see her son lost to violence -- or police brutality -- like freddy gray, the young man whose death in police custody first sparked the protests only a week ago.









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but some pointed out that baltimore's problems are much older and deeper than that one death.<u+00a0><u+00a0><u+00a0> 









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"this has been going on a long time. this is not new and we should not pretend that it's new," president barack obama said.









repairing relations between people and police is going take time in this city. they now also have to find ways to rebuild businesses.









"it breaks my heart because those of us who are from baltimore know how hard we fought for those stores," mayor stephanie rawlings-blake said.









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meanwhile, the baltimore orioles are playing an afternoon home game at camden yards.









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but there is a twist. 









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the game will be closed to the public. only the players and the press will be allowed in the stadium, not fans.
calm envelopes baltimore as curfew begins
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