Philadelphia City Council is about to start hearings on @PhillyMayor's use of chemical weapons on peaceful protesters, @HelenGymPHL is currently welcoming those giving testimony.
.@Mr4thDistrict chairs the committee and is naming that some folks did not want to open their testimony to questioning from council, they're now doing roll call.
The hearing is taking place via Teams app, in case anyone is wondering. 
A lot of folks are lined up to give testimony, they plan to address the residential gassings in a Black area of West Philly on 52nd Street first, then go into the NYT-publicized mass protest gassing on 676 in the latter half of the hearing.
My understanding is that this is a listening session hosted by the Public Safety committee, I see @KendraPHL, @Mr4thDistrict, @HelenGymPHL, @CouncilmemberJG, and @CouncilmanDerek in attendance.
So it's @CouncilmemberKJ, @Mr4thDistrict, @CouncilmemberJG, @CouncilmanDerek, and @KendraPHL in attendance, they just officially opened the meeting.
It's a listening session for @HelenGymAtLarge's bill regarding hearings on the police brutality during the summer BLM protests.
It's a listening session for @HelenGymAtLarge's bill regarding hearings on the police brutality during the summer BLM protests.
Lmao.
My phone just rang with an unknown number, I said hello, and it got broadcast immediately for the entire hearing.
I guess it's my line in to testify when it's my time.
Government hearings in the time of COVID.
My phone just rang with an unknown number, I said hello, and it got broadcast immediately for the entire hearing.
I guess it's my line in to testify when it's my time.
Government hearings in the time of COVID.
"Let's not mince words: this was an attack." -@CouncilmemberJG
Rev. Mark Tyler testifies about getting hit with a wave of tear gas and nearly crashing as he drove up to 52nd Street.
Again, we're talking about a Black residential neighborhood in West Philadelphia.
Again, we're talking about a Black residential neighborhood in West Philadelphia.
A Haitian-American resident of 52nd and Market talks about coming out to protest in support of Black Lives Matter.
He says the police started calling them the n-word, "m*nkeys," and telling them to go back to Africa.
He says the police started calling them the n-word, "m*nkeys," and telling them to go back to Africa.
He says he stood peacefully asking police to act peacefully, with his head down and his fist up.
Cops shot him with a rubber bullet, teargassed the crowd, peppersprayed him, and dislocated his shoulder.
Cops shot him with a rubber bullet, teargassed the crowd, peppersprayed him, and dislocated his shoulder.
Link for folks who want to watch! Thank you, @patg0v!
https://twitter.com/patg0v/status/1313946764773335041?s=19
A doctor is now testifying, saying she was there before and after the curfew.
Says protesters were nonviolent, that there was no announcement, that they shot about two dozen tear gas canisters into the crowd.
Says protesters were nonviolent, that there was no announcement, that they shot about two dozen tear gas canisters into the crowd.
The doctor says she treated people for cuts and burns from people running blinded through broken glass.
She observed cops shooting rubber bullets at a medical student she was working with despite clear medical marking.
She observed cops shooting rubber bullets at a medical student she was working with despite clear medical marking.
Doctor says she observed a Black woman run out of her house with a 6 year old barefoot child screaming and crying and certain that she had been permanently blinded.
Cops had shot a canister onto the roof of their porch & it had poured into her second story room.
Cops had shot a canister onto the roof of their porch & it had poured into her second story room.
Doctor says the mom of the kid who thought she was blinded told her the 6 year old had realized her infant sister was in the room flooded by gas and came in to try and save her.
A six year old.
This is horrific.
A six year old.
This is horrific.
The mom of the tear gas-blinded children was too afraid to accept help, even an ambulance. They took off running, going west, to an uncle's house.
The doctor reiterated that there was "no aggression to diffuse" in the protests happening at the time.
The doctor reiterated that there was "no aggression to diffuse" in the protests happening at the time.
Doctor testifies that tear gas can harm developing lungs, that it's banned by the Geneva Conventions in warfare.
Another doctor who is present testifies that he and his son watched police fire tear gas canisters into a crowd of peaceful protesters and spectators.
Said he witnessed a store being looted, but the police ignored it and specifically targeted BLM protesters.
Said he witnessed a store being looted, but the police ignored it and specifically targeted BLM protesters.
The doctor, a West Philadelphia-raised Black man: "the time to defund the police now... it's time to demilitarize the police now."
An 11th grade girl is talking now.
She was walking home to comply with a friend after curfew. She watched police throw a man off a bike and beat him. Police drove her away w a baton.
"The police are supposed to protect us, but I can't believe that after what I saw that day."
She was walking home to comply with a friend after curfew. She watched police throw a man off a bike and beat him. Police drove her away w a baton.
"The police are supposed to protect us, but I can't believe that after what I saw that day."
The same 11th grader testifying about police brutality in West Philly, a member of @215studentunion: "I saw someone [my age] hit in the head with a rubber bullet on Instagram. There was a lot of blood. It made me not want to protest, but I know I have to."
Rev. Abby Tennis of @powerinterfaith talks about coming out hoping her presence as a white person and a clergy member would help deescalate the police.
She talks about getting gassed to the point of blindness, stumbling away, returning only to be gassed "too many times to count"
She talks about getting gassed to the point of blindness, stumbling away, returning only to be gassed "too many times to count"
Rev Tennis: police targeted bystanders with hundreds of rounds of tear gas.
Past elders outside homes on canes.
Past people sitting in wheelchairs outside their homes.
Past kids picnicking with their parents in Malcolm X park.
In a Black neighborhood, by mostly white cops.
Past elders outside homes on canes.
Past people sitting in wheelchairs outside their homes.
Past kids picnicking with their parents in Malcolm X park.
In a Black neighborhood, by mostly white cops.
Shakira King, a Black West Philadelphia resident: we decided to stand in front of Hakim's bookstore, the oldest Black-owned bookstore in Philadelphia.
A police officer aimed a tear gas canister at her, shot one in the air and then another directly at her.
A police officer aimed a tear gas canister at her, shot one in the air and then another directly at her.
West Philadelphia Judith Palmer says she was recording a tank coming down a street.
Two police approached her, recording her, and shot her directly in the leg with a rubber bullet with no warning.
There was no conflict in the area at the time.
Two police approached her, recording her, and shot her directly in the leg with a rubber bullet with no warning.
There was no conflict in the area at the time.
Sergio, a Democratic committeeperson, couldn't escape tear gas, he kept falling off his bike, blinded.
People rinsed out his eyes at Malcolm X Park as families and children fled the park, terrified.
He says two fellow committeepeople were shot w rubber bullets at close range.
People rinsed out his eyes at Malcolm X Park as families and children fled the park, terrified.
He says two fellow committeepeople were shot w rubber bullets at close range.
Emily Neil, a journalist, was present as a freelancer in West Philadelphia around 52nd street.
She witnessed police firing tear gas into the crowd from a tank.
A man by her later started asking police not to shoot them. They opened fire on him, her, another man.
She witnessed police firing tear gas into the crowd from a tank.
A man by her later started asking police not to shoot them. They opened fire on him, her, another man.
She testifies that she was subject to volleys of rubber bullets from both directions.
With nowhere to run, she dove to the ground.
They shot her in the head, she began bleeding profusely and received 8 stitches at the hospital.
With nowhere to run, she dove to the ground.
They shot her in the head, she began bleeding profusely and received 8 stitches at the hospital.
Neil is white. She relays that a paramedic seeing her wounds thanked her for being there, but also reminded her that she had stepped for a moment into the kind of experience that Black people are subject to for a lifetime.
Amelia Carter of West Philadelphia testifies that she watched an elderly woman who had been hit in the face with a rubber bullet, stumbling onto the street.
She says she had to remove her mask & was coughing and coughed on; she was afraid she'd catch COVID.
She says she had to remove her mask & was coughing and coughed on; she was afraid she'd catch COVID.
Carter: "it was clear that Philadelphia police felt they were at war with us."
She demands that council defund the police.
She demands that council defund the police.
Carter says she questions the efficacy of processes like these when council members don't have the backs of people impacted.
Points to council overwhelmingly passing a budget with bloated police funding despite these injustices.
Points to council overwhelmingly passing a budget with bloated police funding despite these injustices.
I really hope journalists are watching these hearings, this is incredibly important testimony for the public to hear.
Monica Allison, a Black committeeperson and local organizer and activist, is now speaking. "Tanks and tear gas do not belong in residential neighborhoods."
Says it's an outrage that she she even needs to be here saying this.
Says it's an outrage that she she even needs to be here saying this.
"The police clearly communicated that we are less than human, and the city looked the other way."
Allison says that just like West Philly never wants another bomb dropped on it ever again, folks do not want to be teargassed ever again.
"Do not fail us, we are watching."
Allison says that just like West Philly never wants another bomb dropped on it ever again, folks do not want to be teargassed ever again.
"Do not fail us, we are watching."
They're now concluding the 52nd Street residential gassings testimony.
We're now going into testimony from witnesses to the 676 gassing.
We're now going into testimony from witnesses to the 676 gassing.
A protester is talking about getting trapped against a fence while tear gassed by police.
He says he was helping folks over the fence, when suddenly a body fell on him from above.
He blacked out, his shoulder dislocated. An MRI indicates he needs shoulder surgery.
He says he was helping folks over the fence, when suddenly a body fell on him from above.
He blacked out, his shoulder dislocated. An MRI indicates he needs shoulder surgery.
Another person talks about getting shot with bullets while he ran panicked up the hill away from cops.
He says they struggled to get away, and watched police grab another protester who was shot while running and drag him down the hillside.
He says they struggled to get away, and watched police grab another protester who was shot while running and drag him down the hillside.
Jamila Hankinson, a committeeperson and respected community activist, is now speaking.
She recalls people screaming and begging for help, watching a 17 year old crying trying to escape, screaming her skin was on fire.
She recalls people screaming and begging for help, watching a 17 year old crying trying to escape, screaming her skin was on fire.
Hankinson says that there, at the top of the hill, they tried to give first aid to escaping victims
Then, tear gas canisters started raining down from the helicopter above.
Then, tear gas canisters started raining down from the helicopter above.
Rachel Hudzinski says she never received any warning, except a cop saying "we want you to stay safe."
10 minutes later, she heard screams. Then, police began teargassing.
An officer peppersprayed her, chasing after her as she ran to spray her more.
10 minutes later, she heard screams. Then, police began teargassing.
An officer peppersprayed her, chasing after her as she ran to spray her more.
Hudzinski's skin and clothes were saturated with pepper spray and tear gas.
She had to throw out everything, even her shoes.
She couldn't work for two weeks, she had second degree burns all over her body.
She had to throw out everything, even her shoes.
She couldn't work for two weeks, she had second degree burns all over her body.
Brandon Trush testifies that he was struck in the chin by a tear gas canister.
He was bleeding profusely, begging for medical attention.
Instead, they zipcuffed him and left him for hours.
They finally decided not to take him to the station because of the condition he was in.
He was bleeding profusely, begging for medical attention.
Instead, they zipcuffed him and left him for hours.
They finally decided not to take him to the station because of the condition he was in.
Simone Brown, a Black college student: I was choking, my nose felt like it was on fire... I was by a toung boy who was crying for his mom.
Officers jumped on her and dragged her down the hill as she tried to get her bearings.
Officers jumped on her and dragged her down the hill as she tried to get her bearings.
Brown said she watched police
- throw a protester's phone into the bushes intentionally
- deny medical attention to a person experiencing a panic attack
- rip off a protester's PPE mask and throw it to the ground
- throw a protester's phone into the bushes intentionally
- deny medical attention to a person experiencing a panic attack
- rip off a protester's PPE mask and throw it to the ground
Testimony is closed, there's still public comment but I'm pretty emotionally exhausted after testifying, so I'm going to end it here.
Thank you so much to folks who shared such traumatic stories.
@PHLCouncil, defund police.
@PhillyMayor and @PPDCommish, resign in shame.
Thank you so much to folks who shared such traumatic stories.
@PHLCouncil, defund police.
@PhillyMayor and @PPDCommish, resign in shame.
PS, kudos to @HelenGymAtLarge and her office for making space for folks who needed to be heard to speak. This was a really long but necessary listening session and I know from my experience and from talking to others today that it was meaningful and important to have that chance.
.@KendraPHL in closing: "you were heard loud and clear... I have to just recognize the sacrifice and difficulty in telling your stories... I hear you, and it is our job to continue to work on this so this does not happen again."
.@Mr4thDistrict is also thanking people who testified today, thanking folks for coming out and standing in solidarity with BLM.
Says, "you did not have to do it."
Says, "you did not have to do it."
.@CouncilmemberKJ: the same way there was apology given to folks downtown, there should be an apology given to folks in 52nd.
Apparently @PPDCommish has been on listening.
I hope she feels some shame for what she and @PhillyMayor did.
Shame on you both.
I hope she feels some shame for what she and @PhillyMayor did.
Shame on you both.
.@HelenGymAtLarge: "these testimonies weighed heavily on me... the words hold us accountable... I want to acknowledge that sharing and retelling these stories is extremely hard... I want to make a commitment that this is the start of a process of how we repair trust."
@HelenGymAtLarge closes by saying she affirms that Black lives matter.
Okay, that's the end for real.
Again, @PHLCouncil, defund the police.
@PhillyMayor and @PPDCommish, resign in shame.
And, solidarity with everyone traumatized by the @PhillyPolice, most especially Black folks who live this everyday.
Again, @PHLCouncil, defund the police.
@PhillyMayor and @PPDCommish, resign in shame.
And, solidarity with everyone traumatized by the @PhillyPolice, most especially Black folks who live this everyday.
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