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THREAD, THIS JUST IN: Read it and weep, Philadelphia City Controller's Office just dropped a damning report on @PhillyMayor & @PhillyPolice's involvement in the #BlackLivesMatter 
protests in the city and it describes nothing short than a complete failure. https://controller.phila.gov/philadelphia-audits/civil-unrest-response/#/
protests in the city and it describes nothing short than a complete failure. https://controller.phila.gov/philadelphia-audits/civil-unrest-response/#/
What we now know is that Philly failed to sufficiently plan for the protests and civil unrest -- even though they had previous plans in place that they could have use. There were warning signs that such activity was going to happen -- and some in charge were out on vacation.
There was a failure of leadership at the highest levels of key Philly departments/agencies, that were also coupled with "organizational deficiencies and personnel vacancies" that also affected the City’s response. For example, the Fire Commissioner failed as OEM Director.
Philly failed to dedicate sufficient resources to its response -- which led to more problems on top of problems like compensating "for its lack of planning by using increased and unnecessary force, including the deployment of CS gas and other less-than-lethal munitions."
Philly Police Department inappropriately used CS gas in its response: "The use of force, particularly CS gas, throughout the unrest was inappropriate. CS gas had not been used in Philadelphia for crowd control or First Amendment activity since the 1985 MOVE bombing."
Take a moment to reflect on that -- during the 35th Anniversary of the MOVE Bombing -- @PhillyMayor, who refused to apologize on behalf of the city's involvement, allowed for CS gas to target innocent #BlackLivesMatter protesters.
protesters.
CS gas was used several times, in multiple locations during the unrest. "On 52nd Street in particular, CS gas was used indiscriminately on a half-mile area, affecting bystanders and peaceful protesters, in addition to those engaging in illegal activity."
Fucking heated.
Fucking heated.
The report also notes that Kenney gave Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw the go to use CS gas, even though he stated he wasn't a fan of it, but still let her do it. She then informed her team that she had the Mayor's approval...and that's when shit got out of control.
Commissioner Outlaw is no stranger to using CS gas. She did so without a sweat when she served previously as the Portland Police Commissioner, where her officers teargassed #BlackLivesMatter protesters without a sweat.
Kenney knew this when he hired her. He let this happen.
protesters without a sweat. Kenney knew this when he hired her. He let this happen.
Even more damning: Philly Police Department had "disparate responses to protesters" – their approach to responding to protesters gathered in opposition to police brutality versus groups claiming to gather in support of police or a statue were inconsistent.
Oh, no shit, Sherlock.
Oh, no shit, Sherlock.
The reported cited that this summer in Fishtown, a group of mostly White men carrying baseball bats and golf clubs were not met with the same force by police as those gathered on 52nd Street or I-676.
In other words, racism.
In other words, racism.
In short, the Controller's Office place the bulk of the blame on @PhillyMayor's lack of integrity and leadership during this crisis.
Read the latest from @PhillyMag detailing all of this. https://www.phillymag.com/news/2021/01/27/tear-gas-philadelphia-report-rebecca-rhynhart/
Read the latest from @PhillyMag detailing all of this. https://www.phillymag.com/news/2021/01/27/tear-gas-philadelphia-report-rebecca-rhynhart/
