Sunday protests leave Philadelphia angry, damaged | Morning Newsletter
And, questions emerge about whether police officials were unprepared.
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In the week since George Floyd was killed when a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes in Minneapolis, protests and demonstrations have erupted across the nation. That includes episodes over the weekend in Philadelphia that showcased peaceful crowds made up of those protesting police brutality, especially against black people, and that also saw hundreds arrested, businesses damaged, and clashes between civilians and local police forces.
— Josh Rosenblat (@joshrosenblat, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
In Philadelphia and cities across America, the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis unleashed decades of frustration with the mistreatment of black people by police. The smoke that hung over the city yesterday from burned stores and tear gas overshadowed the peaceful demonstrations of those who gathered earlier in the day and on Saturday to grieve Floyd’s death.
Although Center City was the focal point of the chaos Saturday night, it spilled into 52nd Street in West Philadelphia yesterday. Among the differences between the two settings is that 52nd Street is part of a business corridor that serves a predominantly black neighborhood where recent and controversial revitalization efforts have helped support storefront improvements and sidewalk merchants. Almost all the businesses on 52nd are small or locally owned, and about half are black-owned, according to Jabari Jones, the president of the West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative. As stores were looted, Philadelphia police fired tear gas. But by early evening, the police were shooting canisters at people who were simply standing on the street.
The peaceful protests that turned into unrest prompted questions about whether Mayor Jim Kenney’s administration and city police had adequately prepared for what unfolded yesterday. Officials ordered new restrictions on movement and the National Guard arrived in the city last night to bolster police deployment.
Gov. Tom Wolf left open the possibility that the violence in Philadelphia following the peaceful protests and grieving of Floyd’s death might mean that the city won’t be able to start loosening its coronavirus-related restrictions as originally planned on Friday.
Mayor Kenney late last week presented a reopening plan called “Safer at Home." You can expect hand sanitizer to be offered when you walk into a business, employees cleaning surfaces every few hours, drastically limited capacity, and more.
Some counties in Pennsylvania are already in the “green” phase of Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan, where people have been able to get haircuts, attend workout classes, and go out for drinks.
Tomorrow’s primary election in Pennsylvania will look a lot different from those of the past. The coronavirus pandemic shifted the primary from April 28 to June 2. Almost two million Pennsylvanians have requested mail-in ballots, with Democrats requesting mail ballots at higher rates than Republicans in every county. Plus, election day traditions won’t happen this year and many polling places won’t be open.
Even so, here are the races my colleagues are watching, from the state’s auditor general to the congressional races.
What you need to know today
The statue of controversial ex-Mayor Frank L. Rizzo will be moved from its perch in Center City soon, according to Mayor Kenney. “Hopefully by another month or so," he said
Philadelphia is slashing millions of dollars from its city budget by reducing services, laying off employees, and raising taxes. But Mayor Kenney’s soda tax-funded programs aren’t facing cuts.
The coronavirus is forcing small businesses to close for good despite the government’s attempts to save them from the economic wreckage. Economists estimate that more than 100,000 businesses have closed permanently nationwide since March.
At the Pennsylvania veterans’ nursing home with 38 COVID-19 deaths, my colleagues report that not only had officials responded slowly to the pandemic, but also that the nursing home had been mismanaged for years.
Colleges are trying to figure out both a safe and educational approach to returning for the fall term, but there’s still so much they can’t predict.
New Jersey churches sued Gov. Phil Murphy over his orders that closed the state’s services inside houses of worship for more than two months.
We might not know whether this weekend’s protests will cause a spike in COVID-19 cases for about two weeks. But there is a reason for cautious optimism.
Photo gallery: Tensions continue in Philadelphia
The tension that began during Saturday’s protests continued on Sunday, with both peaceful demonstrations and violence unfolding across the city. Here’s what it looked like.
That’s interesting
🚦As Philadelphia and its surrounding counties prepare to move into the “yellow” phase of coronavirus lock-down restrictions, we’re still working to answer your questions. Two of our latest examples are whether you can hang out with your parents in the “yellow” phase and whether you can drive to a “green” county to get a haircut.
☀️It looks as if it’s going to get hot this week. Here are some tips on staying cool, even if you don’t have air conditioning.
📮If there are cutbacks to the U.S. Postal Service, they’d hit rural Pennsylvania the hardest.
🏆It would be fitting for this to be the year the Flyers finally ended their Stanley Cup drought.
🌪️A tornado outbreak killed more than 60 people in Pennsylvania 35 years ago. We still don’t know much about the storms.
🏘️When the coronavirus closes small businesses for good, the appeal of neighborhoods to home buyers could be affected.
Opinions
“I don’t condone the looting and violence that took place over the weekend. But I certainly understand where it comes from ... And until people stop feeling the need to take to the streets to voice their discontent over how black people are treated in America’s criminal justice system, the risk that this kind of unrest will break out will remain.” — columnist Jenice Armstrong writes about this weekend’s protests.
Temple student Madison Karas writes about how George Floyd’s death in her hometown brought back memories of her classmate Khaleel Thompson, who was shot more than 18 times by local police.
It’s time for racist policing to become history in Philadelphia, The Inquirer Editorial Board writes.
What we’re reading
Families and other supporters last week were protesting COVID-19 deaths in New Jersey prisons, WHYY reports.
Slate reports on why homesickness might be the next “pandemic.”
A popular YouTuber adopted a child with autism from China and made content with him for years. Then, she placed him with a new family, Buzzfeed News reports.
Your Daily Dose of | Foraging
Chef Philip Manganaro, who owns Park Place in Merchantville, doesn’t really face ingredient shortages, high prices, or struggle to be socially distant while shopping. The reason: He forages to fuel his restaurant’s unconventional menu.