WATCH swarms of rioters DESTROY west Philadelphia neighborhood
A horde of rioters swept through a poor neighborhood in Philadelphia, setting fire to police vehicles and looting corner stores. Amid the chaos, the city has ordered all businesses to close.
The rioters wrecked a line of police cars, as the officers themselves stood by and watched the destruction, video footage captured by Fox 29 shows. The smashed cars were then set on fire and left to burn in the middle of the street.
POLICE CARS DESTROYED: Rioters destroy a line of police cars, ghost riding them into each other and setting them on fire in West Philadelphia. MORE: https://t.co/Xm93XDEQV4pic.twitter.com/8qcjnBHaHI
— FOX 29 (@FOX29philly) May 31, 2020
The @PhillyPolice arrived to help save businesses where many of the poorest residents shop for food&clothes on S. 52nd Street. Many are minority owned businesses&police vehicles were then Vandalized as officers were outside at the stores, then vehicles set on fire @FOX29phillypic.twitter.com/j7u9stkmUX
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) May 31, 2020
Looters then swarmed into grocery stores and drugstores. These businesses were not “ritzy designer shops,” reporter Steve Keeley noted, but stores “where people without cars walk to for food, medicine and clothing.”
Looters overrun SunRay Drugs in West PhiladelphiaMORE: https://t.co/Xm93XDEQV4pic.twitter.com/syW6YsegPb
— FOX 29 (@FOX29philly) May 31, 2020
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney implemented a mandatory city-wide curfew starting on Sunday at 6 pm. However, as the rioters continued to sweep through the streets, the curfew was moved up two hours.
also protesters at 8th and vine throwing fireworks at police 🔥 Car fire is 52nd and market pic.twitter.com/rWKm0lEVIo
— Josh Albert (@jpegjoshua) May 31, 2020
It is unlikely that the more violent among the rioters will heed the order, however. In Minneapolis – the epicenter of the unrest – mobs of people defied curfew orders earlier this week to burn down businesses and torch two police precincts to the ground.
52nd and market still getting crazy pic.twitter.com/iV8BSyrKpe
— Josh Albert (@jpegjoshua) May 31, 2020
Amid the chaos, President Donald Trump called on authorities to restore “Law & Order in Philadelphia, NOW!”
Call in our great National Guard like they FINALLY did (thank you President Trump) last night in Minneapolis.
The absent police presence in Philadelphia is outrageous. The looting downtown, in the daylight, is unbelievable. This disrespects the memory of George Floyd. https://t.co/ouGoG1NBpx
— Raymond Arroyo (@RaymondArroyo) May 31, 2020
Since the death of George Floyd – an unarmed black man – at the hands of police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis on Monday, riots and looting have broken out in at least 75 cities across the US. Though a growing number of states have called in their National Guard troops, the unrest continues nationwide.
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