How George Floyd changed Philly | Morning Newsletter
Plus, Southeastern Pa. had its first “yellow” weekend.
The Morning Newsletter
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The killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis late last month galvanized people around the world in protests against police brutality and racism. And those in Philadelphia are starting to make an impact, from the dismantling of city displays that some believe symbolize a painful past to politicians calling for changes to police conduct.
— Josh Rosenblat (@joshrosenblat, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
Two weeks have passed since a Minneapolis police officer knelt on George Floyd’s neck, killing him and sparking a national uprising. And in Philadelphia, where thousands marched in peaceful demonstrations against police brutality and to declare that Black Lives Matter this past weekend, things might be starting to change.
The Rizzo statue and mural are no more — considered by some to be symbols of racist policies targeting Philly’s black and gay communities. And, City Council members have called on police to stop using tear gas and rubber bullets.
On June 8, 2017, Officer Ryan Pownall shot 30-year-old David Jones twice in the back after stopping Jones for riding a dirt bike. It was the second time in Pownall’s career that he shot someone who was running from police. At that time, it had been two decades since a Philadelphia police officer faced criminal charges for an on-duty shooting.
City leaders, though, had talked publicly about holding police accountable. And the fallout of this case could still be felt in Philadelphia last week after what often began as peaceful protests sometimes devolved into violent clashes between officers and demonstrators.
Here’s one example: The notorious Philly cop who was charged with beating a Temple student has a checkered and charmed past. Officer Joseph Bologna Jr., a 31-year Philadelphia police veteran, has been pulled off the street after video surfaced both of his confrontation with the Temple student and of the inspector lunging at a TV reporter, striking his security guard. And grabbing a young woman who apparently tapped his bicycle tire. During his career, the South Philly native has often found himself at the center of controversy over police misconduct.
On Friday, Philly and its surrounding Pennsylvania counties moved to the next stage of Gov. Tom Wolf’s coronavirus reopening plan, which essentially lifts the stay-at-home order but still has restrictions in place. For example, businesses are allowed to reopen, but many have to limit to 50% capacity. Other measures could be taken too, such as SEPTA requiring all riders to wear face coverings.
Across the state, 12 more Pennsylvania counties moved to the “green,” or least-restrictive, phase of Wolf’s plan. That represents about 40% of the state’s population.
If you have questions about what you can and can’t do in the “yellow” phase, I don’t blame you. It can get confusing. Can you go on a date now? Can your dog get groomed? What businesses are even allowed to be open? If you have a question, you might be able to find the answer here, or you can submit a question for our newsroom to try to answer.
What you need to know today
The massive storm, classified as a derecho, that hit the region last week left more than 850,000 customers without power. If you stocked up your fridge and freezer for the pandemic and your power went out, here’s what you should know about whether you have to throw out any food.
Last week’s primary election in Pennsylvania wasn’t a disaster. But, there’s still a lot of work to do before November. Philly’s election results, for example, are going to take even longer than expected. But a high-profile suburban race has been called.
Cherry Hill lawyer Fabiana Pierre-Louis is poised to become the New Jersey Supreme Court’s first black female justice.
Entire communities suffer when the police kill unarmed black people.
Kensington Avenue in Philly has been home to so many Philadelphia crises and is a setting with constant tension between police, residents, and people in addiction.
Protesters in Montco converged on the home of County Commissioner Joseph C. Gale yesterday for calling Black Lives Matter “a radical left-wing hate group” that perpetrates “urban domestic terror.”
Walter Ogrod spent more than 23 years on death row, insisting he had been wrongfully convicted of killing a 4-year-old in Northeast Philadelphia in 1988. On Friday, a judge set him free.
Through your eyes | #OurPhilly
Thanks for sharing this great pic, @staceyelle.
Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!
That’s interesting
✊If you want to show solidarity with those protesting, here are some things the activist groups involved want you to do.
📜Colleges are scrambling to create archives to record what life has been like during the pandemic. “History is being made now,” an archivist at La Salle University said.
🍴Germantown-born chef Omar Tate’s Honeysuckle pop-up project “is a complete reflection of a black existence in general. Honeysuckle exists in protest as something that’s not a part of the system. ... It came from my need for autonomy to be able to tell my story," he said.
📚Harriett’s Bookshop’s owner Jeannine A. Cook has been handing out free books about black leaders during the Philly marches. She explains why that’s important.
🏀A portable basketball hoop has been making its way around Philadelphia as part of the protests this week. Here’s the story behind the hoop on wheels.
🎓These 2020 grads from the Philly region will make you feel inspired.
Opinions
“This is a moment for Philadelphia to reimagine its police department — its responsibilities, tactics, and accountability measures — as well as who gets a say in shaping its future.” — The Inquirer Editorial Board writes about changing the police department to one “that Philadelphia deserves.”
My colleagues spoke with community leaders, activists, law enforcement, and others who offer 14 ways to confront racist policing.
The Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler, a pastor at Mother Bethel AME Church, thought he knew how he felt about looting. “And yet, I am still conflicted," he wrote for The Inquirer.
What we’re reading
Billy Penn wrote about a crowdsourced database of at least 150 black-owned restaurants in Philadelphia. You can check out the map here.
The NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell publicly shifted their stance on the Black Lives Matter movement in a video released Friday. Here’s the inside story from Yahoo! Sports about how a “rogue” employee made that happen.
NBC News has a story about how towns all over the U.S. have seen armed groups patrol the streets after rumors about an “antifa invasion” spread on social media. The rumors are often unfounded.
Your Daily Dose of | Pandemic proms
Like many other traditions, proms have been canceled, postponed, and even reimagined because of the coronavirus pandemic. Students have tried re-creating the prom experience at home. Schools have hosted virtual celebrations broadcast to hundreds of homes. Here’s what students across the region did to celebrate their proms.