Monday, June 01, 2020

How A Philadelphia Protest Went From A Protest To A Riot

Just a heads up to let you guys and gals know that today's post is going to be serious, lengthy, and contains a lot of photographs.

I have a lot to vent.

And a lot to show you.

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My personal opinion:

I want to start by saying that what occurred in Minnesota pertaining to the death of George Floyd was not only heartbreaking, but also a disgrace in every sense of the word.

It's no wonder that people are angry. They want justice.

Because it's so blatantly obvious.

Floyd wasn't killed.

He was murdered.

Murdered.

Derek Chauvin, along with the other three policemen who casually stood by and watched should have all been arrested the very next day after viewing the video proof, and then individually convicted.

PERIOD.

The way in which the state of Minnesota handled this whole tragic ordeal would be laughable if it weren't so disgraceful. I've never seen people run a state at the speed of a sloth. They all stood around picking lint out of their navels while pondering what they should do before they finally arrested Chauvin, as well as pondering what they should do about all the violent protesters that destroyed their cities and businesses for FOUR days.

And lets not talk about how even after many complaints were made about Chauvin over the years, they still kept him on the force.

My advice to Minnesota leaders?

Grow a set of balls and learn how to make decisions for the safety of your citizens!

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Philadelphia's Protest

Saturday (5/30/20) at 12:00 PM was when Philadelphia had their protest.

Now, I'm all for protesting because I believe "we the people" have the right to have our voices heard.

Amen!

However...

I think there is a huge difference between protesting to have your voice heard, and using a protest as a smoke screen to cause destruction and looting because you feel justified to destroy and loot for no other reason than to destroy and loot. These people are not protesters, they're vicious opportunists getting in on the action.

Days ago, I watched on the news what has been going on in many of the cities here in America and couldn't believe my eyes.

Well, I got to see it firsthand on Saturday night.

What started out as an organized and peaceful protest turned lethal at about 4:15 PM, when the chaos and madness began. I'm so grateful that I had enough sense to come home after I had been out all morning and afternoon. My intuition told me to stay in and not leave my apartment.

So I sat at home, looking out my windows from 4:15 PM Saturday until 12:30 AM Sunday. It felt as though I was watching a movie about the apocalypse. I literally saw it unfold before my eyes. I heard screaming, gun shots, helicopters, and sirens. I witnessed mobs of people (that resembled locusts) running through the streets below me, smashing store windows, laughing, and looting. And they worked in pairs because I noticed that they had people waiting in cars so that they could make a quick getaway. I have to say, they were very calculated in their destruction. As if they had a lot of practice.

But I have to tell you in all honesty, I wasn't afraid. I got to a point in which I stood back and just watched it play out; knowing I had nothing to fear.

Here are images (screenshots) I took from various news stations Saturday night during the riot...

(and keep in mind that all of this transpired only 2-6 city blocks from where I live)

Seven police vehicles were torched. SEVEN...

Thank GOD for our brave firefighters...

This was a brand new free-standing Starbucks at City Hall where I used to get my coffee...

This is a photo I took from my apartment window of the smoke that came from the burning Starbucks and the burning vehicles...

The looting that night was insane..

Everything they did was with a sense of casual entitlement...

An areal view of Chestnut Street...

This is a fire that occurred five blocks from my apartment. The smoke from the fire covered the city in a thick fog. The smell was horrendous. In fact, I can still smell it. It took the fire department SIX hours to extinguish the flames...

Sunday morning photographs of Walnut Street, on which every retailer was destroyed...

These are a few photographs I took when I walked outside Sunday morning so that I could see some of the damage with my own eyes...

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Ending on a positive note:

The upside to this was that I was extremely touched and impressed by how the people of this city came together on Sunday morning and all pitched in to help with the cleanup.

This gentleman (wearing all black) who runs the The Cheesecake Factory on Walnut Street went out and purchased $600.00 worth of trash bags, brooms, shovels, masks, and food to give to anyone who wanted to help with the cleanup.

Once again, kindness prevailed...

And this sweet, young man was out there first thing in the morning with his own trash bag, helping to clean up the streets. And as he spoke, he was in tears because he could not comprehend how anyone could do something like this. Listening to him made me tear up because I also couldn't comprehend how anyone could do something like this...

And lastly, I wish to give praise and admiration to the firefighters and law enforcement for their unending work, helping to keep the riot as minimal as possible Yes, we had tremendous damage done to this city on Saturday night. However, I could tell just by watching the streets from my apartment window that our law enforcement worked wisely and swiftly to do everything in their power to disburse the riot and keep us safe.

Overall, our law enforcement made 207 arrests Saturday night. 

Again, what Derek Chauvin did is despicable. And it is inexcusable.

However, I've met many policemen and policewomen in both Philadelphia and New York City who are genuinely good people, and take their job seriously in wanting to help and protect us.

As I shared at the start of this post, I am 100% behind citizens who protest to speak their mind. But what I am not behind are the destroyers whose actions cause a tremendous setback in what hundreds before them worked so hard for in their civil rights.

I leave you with a photograph of Philadelphia Police Commissioner, Danielle Outlaw, who recently moved here from California.

She worked tirelessly all day Saturday and Sunday to organize things before, during, and after the protest.

I love to hear her talk because she's smart, to the point, and inspiring.

And just a fabulous lady with a wonderful energy...

Be well, everyone!
💗