8 instances of people being awesome amid the Baltimore riots

Riots raging in Baltimore on Monday dominated the national news, but the violent actors numbered only in the hundreds, officials said late Monday night.

More people tried to help put out fires, keep crowds at bay or even clean up after looters.

Baltimoreans are fighting back against the perception that these riots are a repeat of the 1968 violence that forever changed the city.

Rioters looted dozens of businesses and burned many to the ground. Even as chaos reigned around them, ordinary citizens sprung into action to begin the clean up.

Angry mobs threw bottles, bricks and rocks at police, at least two officers were caught in images throwing them back at the crowds.

Others threw Molotov cocktails into buildings, setting them on fire or even fired shots at police.

But many other people grabbed brooms, mops, garbage bags or even jumped between angry crowds and police lines to plead for peace.

Parents heeded Baltimore Police calls to pull their children off the streets and away from the violence and one protesters dressed as Michael Jackson and danced to "Beat It" on street corners around the city as riots continued around him.