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Philadelphia PD allows white vigilantes to terrorize neighborhood, beat up people, ignore curfew.
https://www.inquirer.com/news/fishtown-george-floyd-protests-philadelphia-bats-hammers-20200602.htmlCity officials Tuesday pledged to crack down on what they called simmering vigilantism after as many as 100 men armed with baseball bats and hammers roamed the Fishtown section for hours Monday night, saying they were protecting police and local businesses from protesters.
At least two people said they were assaulted by members of the group, including a reporter who tweeted that he was beaten and bloodied after filming the scene. Others said they were screamed at, spit on, or threatened with racist or homophobic slurs. Photos circulated of police officers taking photos with the bat-wielding men on the streets more than two hours after the citywide 6 p.m. curfew.
...
The mayor said the group’s actions were “antagonistic” and the city doesn’t condone “armed vigilantism.” He said he was “disturbed” by reports of officers high-fiving members of the group, and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said the force does not condone “any form of vigilante justice or taking the law into one’s own hands.”
...
But how police handled the crowd in Fishtown, long a majority-white neighborhood, stood in contrast to mass arrests for violating curfew that took place in majority-minority neighborhoods like West Philly and Kensington, as well as aggressive tactics used against people earlier Monday who were protesting police brutality.
“I saw hundreds of people teargassed two hours ago for walking around," one man yelled at officers Monday, “and these people are standing around with bats."
...
As they were biking by the precinct, Khan and Williams, both 31, raised their fists in support of a protester who appeared to be in an argument with police. The group with bats responded by throwing full water bottles, one of which struck Williams in the face.
“'They’re assaulting us. How is this OK?’” Khan said she asked an officer. “He said, ‘Now you know how we feel.’”
Khan said Williams was thrown off his bike by the men and punched in the head. They stood over him and said he “should be grateful they weren’t using bats,” Williams told Khan. An image posted to Facebook shows the altercation.
...
Hearn said he asked an officer, “Are you going to do anything about this? He has a weapon." He said the officer told him to “stop escalating the situation.” The man with the hatchet walked back into the crowd.
...
Kenney was asked Tuesday why a vigilante group in Fishtown was allowed to stay out past curfew without the police arresting them, but protesters in other neighborhoods were treated differently.
“I don’t know,” he responded. "But we’re going to find out.”
At least two people said they were assaulted by members of the group, including a reporter who tweeted that he was beaten and bloodied after filming the scene. Others said they were screamed at, spit on, or threatened with racist or homophobic slurs. Photos circulated of police officers taking photos with the bat-wielding men on the streets more than two hours after the citywide 6 p.m. curfew.
...
The mayor said the group’s actions were “antagonistic” and the city doesn’t condone “armed vigilantism.” He said he was “disturbed” by reports of officers high-fiving members of the group, and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said the force does not condone “any form of vigilante justice or taking the law into one’s own hands.”
...
But how police handled the crowd in Fishtown, long a majority-white neighborhood, stood in contrast to mass arrests for violating curfew that took place in majority-minority neighborhoods like West Philly and Kensington, as well as aggressive tactics used against people earlier Monday who were protesting police brutality.
“I saw hundreds of people teargassed two hours ago for walking around," one man yelled at officers Monday, “and these people are standing around with bats."
...
As they were biking by the precinct, Khan and Williams, both 31, raised their fists in support of a protester who appeared to be in an argument with police. The group with bats responded by throwing full water bottles, one of which struck Williams in the face.
“'They’re assaulting us. How is this OK?’” Khan said she asked an officer. “He said, ‘Now you know how we feel.’”
Khan said Williams was thrown off his bike by the men and punched in the head. They stood over him and said he “should be grateful they weren’t using bats,” Williams told Khan. An image posted to Facebook shows the altercation.
...
Hearn said he asked an officer, “Are you going to do anything about this? He has a weapon." He said the officer told him to “stop escalating the situation.” The man with the hatchet walked back into the crowd.
...
Kenney was asked Tuesday why a vigilante group in Fishtown was allowed to stay out past curfew without the police arresting them, but protesters in other neighborhoods were treated differently.
“I don’t know,” he responded. "But we’re going to find out.”
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