Twice now, Philadelphia Mayor Mr. Jim Kenney has ordered police to stand down while activists, who were confronting him and others about matters germane to cops’ use of force, spoke truth to power. The first time happened in October of 2016, when several Philadelphia police officers shot an unarmed man 109 times in a residential West Philly neighborhood; that shooting, almost a year later, is still under investigation, the police department claims.
The second occurrence happened Thursday morning during what activists involved in the #JusticeforDavidJones Movement coined ‘A Week of Rage.’ Since Monday, Philadelphia officials, including the city’s Managing Director, have been confronted aggressively about the fatal shooting of Mr. David Jones, who was shot and killed while unarmed and fleeing a white officer assigned to the 15th Police District. The fatal incident is currently being investigated by Internal Affairs and the District Attorney’s Office.
Thursday morning was supposed to be a lighthearted experience for those who traversed to the main branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia, which is in Center City. A press conference and ribbon cutting ceremony for two new city parks were scheduled for 10am. The festivities and speeches did take place, but not before Mr. Asa Khalif of Black Lives Matter, Mr. Isaac Gardner, who has organized the protests and rallies in the wake of the June 8th fatal shooting, and Mr. Greg Brinkley, the former president of the Philadelphia chapter of the National Action Network, took to the floor and utilized a bullhorn.
It’s “unnecessary and outrageous,” said Mr. Khalif, that five weeks have passed since the shooting, and no politician has spoken about it.
A Black police officer was making his way up to Mr. Khalif when Mayor Kenney, who was elected in large part due to his police-reform platform, stood up and halted his movement.
“People need to have their attention focused on how we police in America,” the Mayor said to the news media after the event concluded.
Mayor Kenney said that the Black Lives Matter Movement, Mr. Khalif, and his associates who participated in Thursday’s direct action, are a “valued add” to the conversation. Their actions, no matter how off-putting some may find them, are “appropriate,” the Mayor said.
Regarding his order of the police to stand down, Mayor Kenney stated that “he doesn’t need protection” from citizens who are expressing their views. And furthermore, the citizens of Philadelphia are in charge of the police, not the other way around, Mayor Kenney asserted.
Today, the Mayor made comments about the David Jones shooting for the first time since a week after the incident occurred. Mayor Kenney characterized the event as a “terrible situation” and said that he is “sad” for Mr. Jones’ family and friends. A meeting between the Mayor and Mr. Jones’ family is likely in the weeks ahead.
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