Graffiti in Solidarity with Welaunee Forest Defenders From the Meadows of Lenapehoking (South Philly) for the Week of Action!

Submission

Graffiti in Solidarity with Welaunee Forest Defenders from the Meadows of Lenapehoking ( South Philly ) for the Week of Action that reads “From Welaunee Forest to the Meadows Defend Mother Earth Without Compromise!”

As our Friends and Comrades are fighting against the “Cop City” that is proposed to destroy the Welaunee Forest in Atlanta, We are connected in struggle here in the Lenni-Lenape meadows of so called “FDR” Park in South Philly. Over 100+ Acres of Meadows that that has rewilded is under threat of development by “astro-turf” sports fields and yuppie tourist shops. A large coalition of over 20+ groups and many autonomous people are resisting and will fight to defend the Meadows without compromise. The whole planet is under attack by colonial capitalist developers and the state and we are on the verge of runaway climate change! We need a global eco-revolution for our collective survival before it’s too late! So Destroy capitalism and the state! WHEREVER YOU ARE REVOLT FOR MOTHER EARTH!

For Russell Maroon Shoatz: The tradition of Maroon “anarchism”

from Abolition Media

Russell Maroon Shoatz, activist and writer, was a founding member of the revolutionary group Black Unity Council in 1969, as well as a member of the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army. In 1972, he would be convicted for a 1970 killing of a Philadelphia police officer. He would spend 49 years in prison (22 of which in solitary confinement), being released in October of 2021 on grounds of compassion, only to die in December of the same year.

 

While not describing himself as an anarchist, Shoatz’s history of decentralised slave and indigenous rebellions in the americas looks “a whole lot like anarchism”. For Shoatz, it was in the diffused, archipelago like resistance of autonomous maroon communities, that colonialism and plantation slavery would find its greatest opposition, to which the colonial would be forced to respond.

Against the “Dragon” of colonial authority, Shoatz celebrates the “Hydra” tradition of a black-indigenous “anarchism” that did not bear this name, but from which anarchists, and others, must learn.

Below are two essays by Russell Maroon Shoatz, to celebrate his legacy.

Settler Memory: The Disavowal of Indigeneity and the Politics of Race

from Making World Books

Faint traces of Indigenous people and their histories abound in American media, memory, and myths. Indigeneity often remains absent or invisible, however, especially in contemporary political and intellectual discourse about white supremacy, anti-Blackness, and racism in general. In this ambitious new book, Kevin Bruyneel confronts the chronic displacement of Indigeneity in the politics and discourse around race in American political theory and culture, arguing that the ongoing influence of settler-colonialism has undermined efforts to understand Indigenous politics while also hindering conversation around race itself.

By reexamining major episodes, texts, writers, and memories of the political past from the seventeenth century to the present, Bruyneel reveals the power of settler memory at work in the persistent disavowal of Indigeneity. He also shows how Indigenous and Black intellectuals have understood ties between racism and white settler memory, even as the settler dimensions of whiteness are frequently erased in our discourse about race, whether in conflicts over Indian mascotry or the white nationalist underpinnings of Trumpism.

Envisioning a new political future, Bruyneel challenges readers to refuse settler memory and consider a third reconstruction that can meaningfully link antiracism and anticolonialism.

After a short lecture, Kevin Bruyneel will be in conversation with Chenjerai Kumanyika and Jaskiran Dhillon.

Advance registration is requested.

[May 7 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM 210 South 45th Street]

Monday November 29th: Letter-writing for Oso Blanco

from Philly ABC

images/oso-blanco.jpg

The National Native Day of Mourning (so-called Thanksgiving) marks the invasion, theft of land, and genocide committed against the Indigenous Native People by European colonialists and later by their Amerikan descendants. UFF Ohio 7 comrades, Kazi Toure and Jaan Laaman, will be conducting a 24 hour fast on Nov. 25th and ask you to join:

This fast is to recognize and highlight the genocide of Native People and the theft of Native land. This is NOT just a historical horror – it continues today with all the injustices, abuses and ongoing land and resources theft committed against Native People all across this imperialist – colonialist USA state. In particular we focus on and demand the immediate release of Leonard Peltier – Native Elder, AIM activist, teacher, mentor, sun dancer and our dear friend and brother. Leonard is a political prisoner, in captivity over 44 years! Leonard must be freed – all U.S.-held political prisoners must be freed! Many Native Councils and governments have long called for Leonard’s release. Very recently, 10 US Senators and Representatives have called for President Joe Biden to release Leonard Peltier. We welcome everyone, each one of you, to join Kazi and Jaan in fasting, however long and in whatever way is meaningful for you, on Nov. 25th. Also do all you can, to get Leonard out of captivity NOW– see Leonard’s website for how you can help! FREE LEONARD PELTIER! FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS!

– Jaan Laaman

Philly ABC is hosting an anti-colonialist letter-writing in solidarity with imprisoned indigenous freedom fighter Oso Blanco. Join us Monday, November 29th, 6:30pm online! We’ll be sharing some information on Oso Blanco’s case, as well as updates on several political prisoners. As we write letters, the film ‘Zapatista’ will be streaming since Oso Blanco is being held captive for expropriating funds to support the Zapatistas. We also encourage folks to send birthday greetings to political prisoners with birthdays in December: Fred “Muhammad” Burton (the 15th) and Casey Brezik (the 30th).

Monday June 28th: Letter-writing for Fidencio Aldama Perez

from Philly ABC

fidencio-aldama-perez.jpgFidencio Aldama Perez is an indigenous Yaqui land defender and political prisoner from the northern Mexican state of Sonora. He was arrested on October 27, 2016, and later sentenced to fifteen years and six months in prison on trumped-up charges related to a death in the community of Loma de Bácum, Sonora. It is believed that he was targeted due to his support for the indigenous community’s opposition to a gas pipeline that was to pass through Yaqui territory.

Before his imprisonment, Fidencio loved playing soccer with his children and the community. His favorite team is C.F. Pachuca. He is a talented singer and musician, playing the guitar, bass, accordion, and flute. He has long been involved in practicing, teaching, and strengthening the culture and traditions of the Yaqui people, including playing guitar in traditional Yaqui ceremonies and participating in communal dances. For Fidencio, his identity as indigenous and Yaqui is extremely important, something he has passed on to his children. His vision is for a Yaqui territory that fully belongs to the Yaqui people and from which no one can be displaced.

Please join us this coming Monday in Clark Park (stone platform near 45th and Chester) for letter-writing and art-making in participation of the international week of letter-writing and artwork in solidarity with Fidencio Aldama Perez!

We will also send birthday cards to a political prisoner with a birthday in July: Gage Halupowski (the 1st).

#PalestineStrike and Day of Action

from Philly ABC

solidarity-with-palestine.jpg

Joining the #PalestineStrike and day of action today, Philly ABC extends solidarity to the people of Palestine in their struggle for liberation. Israel’s ongoing policies of apartheid and ethnic cleansing demonstrate to the world that settler colonialism is alive and well and needs to be condemned and confronted in every way possible. We vehemently support the rights to self-determination and self-defense for Palestinian people, and denounce Israel’s militarized police and egregious imprisonment practices including ‘administrative detention.’ We urge people to support organizations on the front lines of defending people from imprisonment for their actions and beliefs in freedom for Palestinian people – Addameer (IG:@addameer_pal T:@Addameer) and Samidoun (IG:@samidounnetwork T:@SamidounPP), as well as the people behind bars including Ahmad Sa’adat, Layan Kayed, Khalida Jarrar, Khitam Saafin, Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, and Dr. Issam Hijjawi Bassalat.

#FreeThemAll
#PalestineWillBeFree

Banner in West Philly in solidarity with Palestine and Colombian rebels

Submission


rail interference

Submission

We halted freight train traffic on two different sets of tracks in Philly using the copper wire method to send a false signal. Solidarity with first nations people continuing to oppose colonial destruction of this continent and the rest of the earth. Solidarity with those facing prosecution for similar actions.

UNSETTLING TERRITORY: A Decolonial Mapping Workshop

Submission

Two Saturdays. October 10th & 17th. 12-3pm. Online. 

Join Incite Seminars for a two-part workshop to explore counter-mapping as a tool for what Anishinaabe scholar Jean-Paul Restoule calls the twin goals of “decolonization” and “reinhabitation.” In Part I (October 10), we will introduce the practice of counter-mapping and explore an example of a decolonial map of Lower Manhattan in a manner that engages the past as present. In Part II (October 17), we will dig into histories of resistance in our own local communities in an embodied way. This portion of the workshop will invite you to unearth your lived experiences of displacement and rooting and to incorporate them into the mapping process. We will co-create a map that traces the ways some of our predecessors not only managed to inhabit uninhabitable times and places, but actually transformed them into spaces of liberation.

Facilitator: Rebecca Manski is an independent educator, curriculum designer and researcher. She writes and teaches about the fortresses, walls and detention centers in one of this country’s first borderzones, New York’s financial district. You can find her at Unsettling Wall Street/Borderless Walks and Social Justice Tours.

Discounted pricing for Educators & Activists!  For more information and to register, visit the event page.

History of the Proud Boys in Light of Their Upcoming Rally

from Twitter

On Saturday, September 19, 2020, the Philadelphia Proud Boys are holding a rally at 1:00 in Clark Park, in West Philadelphia. They timed it to disrupt the Uhuru Flea Market, a 20-year institution in West Philly. If you can, come out to counter it. tockify.com/idavox/detail/97…

Quick history lesson so we know what to expect– the last time the Philadelphia Proud Boys had a rally, in November 2018, their “Security” featured a collection of violent hate group members. See this screenshot from their leaked security chats featuring Alan Swinney.

Swinney’s in Portland at the moment, where he’s been rolling with Haley Adams’ crew of Proud Boy rejects. On August 22, after spraying protesters with mace and shooting them with a paintball gun, Swinney pulled a gun on the crowd. [Video Here]

Their head of security in November 2018 was Jerry Smith, an antisemite with militia ties. See this thread for more information. [Thread Here]

Zach Rehl, the President of the Philadelphia Proud Boys, told the papers at the time that no hate groups would be present. Zach was the President of the Philly Proud Boys at the time, and the papers credulously swallowed his lie.

The 2018 rally also brought out NYC Proud Boy David Kuriakose, who was fresh off of attacking protesters in Manhattan on 10/6/18. manhattanda.org/d-a-vance-an…

The rally was a failure, but Philadelphia Proud Boys President Zach Rehl continued to organized with Alan Swinney, attempting to plan string of violent rallies across the northeast for the summer of 2019. huffpost.com/entry/proud-boy…

Their planning chats were leaked to the @HuffPost, showing them trading pictures of the weapons they wanted to bring, and photos of the leftist activists they planned to assault, dubbing them “HVTs”– “High Value Targets.”


After the chats were leaked and the members were exposed, the rallies were cancelled, so the Philly Proud Boys decided to just start showing up at the homes of leftist activists, threatening @gwensnyderPHL in June 2019. [Thread Here]

You can read more about that incident here. thedailybeast.com/far-right-…

Since the outbreak of anti-police protests across the country, the Philadelphia Proud Boys have attempted to insert themselves into white reactionary vigilante patrols. [Thread Here]

The Philadelphia Proud Boys also have deep ties with the Philly police, as revealed by @KELLYWEILL in July. thedailybeast.com/the-distur…

The Proud Boys revel in misogyny and police violence. After I posted about police using sexual violence as a weapon against protesters, noting that I’d been punched by a cop after interrupting him, Zach Rehl posted “Couldn’t have happened to a bigger scumbag. #FuckAntifa

In June, a mob of armed reactionaries showed up to attack protesters and journalists at the Columbus statue in Marconi Plaza, in South Philadelphia. Instead of intervening, a police captain threatened a journalist with arrest. [Thread Here]

The Philadelphia Proud Boys immediately rallied to support the police, and forge ties with the new Italian-American vigilante gang, who dubbed themselves the “Gravy Seals.” [Thread Here]

Those same vigilantes are holding an event at 11:00 a.m. in Marconi Plaza, home of the Columbus statue, on September 19th. My sources expect that the Proud Boys will be there to recruit, and try to bring them to Clark Park at 1:00.

So if you can, come out to help us say no to hate in West Philadelphia at Clark Park on Saturday, September 19th. There will be families present, so we’re going to keep things as peaceful as we can, but the Proud Boys are a known violent hate group. tockify.com/idavox/detail/97…

If you can’t come join us on the ground, there’s still ways you can help! @raveneyes77 will be there live-streaming the event, so be sure to follow and share that stream and tell the world who the Proud Boys are– a violent, bootlicking hate group.

Who protects us? We protect us. And on Saturday, September 19th, we’ll be protecting our community in West Philadelphia from a violent hate group. Come join us. ❤️????✊ tockify.com/idavox/detail/97…

Quick Correction: The Uhuru Flea Market has been postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions. However, the Proud Boys event has interrupted the Farmers Market normally held on Saturdays in Clark Park. Statement from the organizers here. facebook.com/thefoodtrust/po…

ALERTA! Proud Boys to Rally in Clark Park, West Philly same day as a Pro-Columbus Rally in Marconi Park, South Philly!

from It’s Going Down

[This post only contains information relevant to Philadelphia and the surrounding area, to read the entire article follow the above link.]

When: Saturday, September 19th, 2020 @ 1:00pm – 4:00pm

Where: Clark Park, 4300-4398 Baltimore Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA

When a hate rally is pending, people like to tell folks to stay home and ignore it. But what if a violent hate group whose rallies are pretty much geared to be violent comes directly to you?

That’s what it looks like the Proud Boys are planning for the 19th. Originally they announced that they were going to hold a rally on the 26th in South Philadelphia in conjunction with the one Proud Boys are holding in Portland, Oregon, but now comes word that because of conflicts with the Portland rally (they want to be there) they are doing a rally the Saturday before in Clark Park in West Philadelphia. The timing and location of this rally is telling as hell – not to mention that they are calling it “Belly of the Beast 2020” and they “and other patriots” are going there “to demand an end to antifa terrorism.”

Normally this is the date and location of the Uhuru Flea Market, a regular thing that has been taking place for 20+ years in the park every third Saturday from April to October. The pandemic shutdown has caused such events to be canceled until at least Feb. 2021, but this is where a lot of West Philly locals who made it clear that they do not care for Proud Boys, in particular recently by causing a neighborhood bar and venue a lot of grief for supporting them, like to come regardless and take in the day, so Proud Boys want to have a go at them. The group is basically trying to pick fights all over the country, and the police chief that was giving them leeway in Portland for three years is now the Philadelphia Police Commissioner. That doesn’t mean that people will not be able to keep them from using their neighborhood as a playground for far-Right, pro-Trump violence. They are working to oppose them now.

 

Photo from the originally Uhuru Flea Market SOURCE: Twitter

And here’s where it gets interesting: Philadelphia Proud Boys have a rough go of it, pretty much being regulated to trash talk online, sneaking around IRL and latching onto other people’s events so they can do something worth a damn. But they think they have a little juice via the knuckleheads that were trying – in vain – to save the Columbus statue by physically attacking anyone that comes near it – which is actually the catalyst which has resulted in plans to take it down. So we expect them to show up two hours before this rally at another one in Marconi Park in South Philly. That’s a rally organized by an outfit calling itself “Italian American Patriots” that is still trying to save the now-boarded up Columbus statue. The 26th rally was touted as protecting Italian Heritage, but now that this event was announced, they might have decided to use this as cover – which means Philly has a full day.

This is just one of a few rallies the Proud Boys have planned over the next few months. In addition to the one in Portland, there will be one in Columbus, Ohio as well.

Emergency Medical Work Necessary from Gravy Seal Attack

from Fundrazr

In South Philadelphia, there are white residents currently protecting a Columbus Statue in Marconi Plaza in the name of white supremacy.

Nicknamed the gravy seals, this group of white reactionaries have repeatedly threatened and assaulted innocent people, causing those assaulted to be sent to the hospital.

In mid-June, our friend was tasked to be present for a multi-cultural story time in the park, so the participants would be safe. As attendees left when the event ended, a group of people attacked our friend and others, causing multiple injuries. When our friend was taken to the hospital, they received X-rays and CT scans in addition to immediate care for a broken nose. Additionally, they have multiple cracked and broken teeth.

We’re raising money to help cover dental expenses for one of the assaulted people.

Here is a note from them: “On June 15th, while attempting to pull another person away from getting attacked by a mob of right-wing reactionaries, I was assaulted. I had 4 people gang up on me, hitting me in the face and kicking me in the legs. While I am lucky to have insurance, it will not cover the necessary dental work; I have at least three cracked teeth. I want to get fixed up and back to trying to help others as quick as I can, and would appreciate any help in handling this necessary medical expense.”

Our friend is an active member of the Industrial Workers of the World and larger local organizing community. In return for frequently showing up for others in need, we’d like to show up for them like they have historically shown up for all of us.

If you’re not able to financially contribute, please spread the world and share with your network! Thank you in advance for your support.

[Donate Here]

Meet Proud Boy Armand Trafford Osgood

from Philly Proud Boys

Armand Osgood on June 15, 2020

Armand Osgood is one of the newer recruits to join the ranks of the Philadelphia Proud Boys, first seen publicly with them in 2020 though he may have joined earlier. His first public appearance was with persistent nuisance Scott Presler, during a cleanup of the city under the guise of community service, though it goes without saying these guys don’t give a shit about communities that aren’t their immediate circle of white friends.

Armand at Scott Presler’s Event, May 2020
Picking up Trash
Turns out anyone can pick up trash though

He seems to have really weaseled his way in among the ranks of Sonny Sullivan and Zach Rehl, the two chumps who still remain largely at the helm of the Philly Proud Boys. He can be seen hanging out with them in April.

Armand (left) with two notorious and active Philly Proud Boys, Sonny Sullivan (center) and Aaron Wolkind (right)

He has most notably made a prominent appearance at the ongoing conflict around the Christopher Columbus Statue in South Philly. He appeared alongside the large unruly mob of entirely white South Philly residents who had spent days hurling slurs and hate at minorities who dared to come near them and physically assaulting many people as police stood by. He was personally seen spitting on people, which carries extra weight as a heinous act during the coronavirus pandemic.

Armand (left) with Aaron Wolkind (Center), guarding the legacy of Christopher Columbus

He is also decidedly pro-coronavirus, taking an active role in the Reopen protests in Pennsylvania, trying to rally people to the diminutive Philly protest. If he showed up no one knows or cares because it was such an impotent event.

Despite seeming to love cops, Armand cannot seem to be able to follow the law himself, with a dense history of 14 charges and arrests over just 4 years, for everything from drug possession, harassment, weapons violations, and public drunkenness (While Gritty doesn’t think someone’s criminal history should be a judge of their character, they find it a bit hypocritical that someone who is constantly getting in trouble with the law comes out and stands up for the cops. Can you say subservient bootlicker? Why would you support the cops if you can’t even follow the law? Is it because they harm the demographics you don’t like with impunity?)

Armand seems to be cut from the cloth of right wing violence role players, though he is doing what he can to make those fantasies seem real. In one facebook posts he dreams of a day where he can go out and shoot Muslims. He also has their archetypal fixation on Benghazi.

My man can’t WAIT to shoot muslims
Get over it already

And it’s no surprise that he has turned out this way, as other members of his family are involved in militant right wing movements, like his brother Alain Osgood, who attended a “March Against Sharia Law” in Harrisburg in 2017 alongside Militia members. This Rally notably attracted a number of outright neo-nazis including members of Vanguard America (The group responsible for murdering Heather Heyer in Charlottesville in 2017).

His brother, Alain Osgood, at the “March Against Sharia Law” in Harrisburg, June 10, 2017.

His last known place of work was Charles Gratz Fire Protection Co Inc., though it is unknown if his employment has been affected by the Coronavirus Pandemic. It may be worth checking in with them just in case, at (215) 235-5800, to let them know a violent and active member of a hate group works for them. However, it is most likely that he works as an independent contractor currently. Any tips are appreciated!

 

Also Armand, not sure why you think joining a hate group would help with your custody battle. Happy Fathers’ Day, dickbag.

Columbus Statue Focal Point for South Philly Right-Wingers

from Unicorn Riot

Philadelphia, PA – Marconi Plaza has served as the gathering site for right-wing South Philly residents this past weekend. Members of the crowd were almost exclusively of Italian-American heritage, reflecting the ethnic composition and culture of some of the surrounding neighborhoods.

Two weeks ago the city of Philadelphia removed a statue of ex-police chief and ex-mayor Frank Rizzo. Five days later, on June 7, the city painted over the Rizzo mural that had been subjected to years of regular defacement by anti-racist and LGBTQ+ community members. Though in the 1970s Rizzo was celebrated as a success by local Italian-American residents, he was also responsible for the 1985 bombing of a Black residential neighborhood, home to Black liberation group MOVE.

Monuments to historical figures such as Christopher Columbus have been targeted with defacement and removal over the past two weeks across the United States, such as in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where Indigenous community members worked together to rip a Columbus statue from the state capitol grounds.

Philadelphia has two memorials to Columbus: a monument at Penn’s landing, and a statue in Marconi Plaza in South Philly. Marconi Plaza is namesake to Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi, a Nobel Prize winner for his work in radio communications as well as a passionate fascist collaborator who helped Benito Mussolini’s regime implement anti-semitic policies.

After rumors swirled—primarily in neighborhood Facebook groups—that Mayor Jim Kenney may order the removal of the statue, some South Philly residents congregated in the public plaza in a show of support for the statue to remain.

Unicorn Riot documented the scene over the weekend. Many residents had armed themselves with baseball bats, sticks, and golf clubs, and at least one man was visibly armed with some kind of rifle. Bats were observed hidden around the area on Sunday.

Several of those gathered told our reporter on the scene that the Columbus statue represents their Italian heritage. A century ago, anti-Italian sentiment bubbled in the United States as hundreds of thousands emigrated from Italy, fleeing desperate conditions during World War I. Congress’ Immigration Act of 1924 severely constricted immigration from countries with high Catholic and Jewish populations — allowing in 4,000 emigrants per year from Italy, just 2% of the yearly average from a decade earlier — as well as immigration from all other places that weren’t northwestern European countries with an Anglo-Saxon populace.

When our reporter asked about the personal acts of brutality and torture perpetuated against Native people more than 500 years ago by Cristoforo Colombo (Columbus’ name in Italian), some South Philly residents espoused racist sentiments against Indigenous people, while others denied the atrocities had ever taken place.

Some of the right-wing crowd were there for reasons other than protecting the statue. Some in the crowd wore matching ‘I Stand With Frank Rizzo’ pro-police shirts, along with pro-Trump t-shirts and several Trump flags.

The South Philly vigilantes often approached anyone entering the area, inquiring where they lived and harassing them as not being “from here” if they weren’t recognized. Racist and sexist slurs were used freely by the men and women confronting various passers-by.

Mayor Kenney tweeted that the vigilantism is “inappropriate” and warned that it brings “more danger to themselves and the city.

Our reporter on the scene, Christopher Schiano, was assaulted multiple times on both Saturday and Sunday night by many of those who had gathered in Marconi Plaza. The tires to his bicycle were slashed on Saturday, and on Sunday one man damaged the camera Chris was using to document events.

After multiple Philly police officers witnessed the violence against our reporter Saturday evening, Philadelphia Police Captain Louis Campione threatened Chris with arrest if he did not comply with Campione’s order to disperse.

Over both days other community members gathered in opposition to Frank Rizzo and Christopher Columbus, as well as to protect others in the neighborhood from harassment and bullying. “Most of the screaming I heard was from the people who want to keep the statue,” said local resident Mark Dougherty, adding that the gathered vigilantes were heard chanting, “USA!

Several white men were visibly intoxicated on Sunday evening and became more belligerent towards the “Fuck Frank Rizzo” counter-protesters, threatening them with stalking and murder.

Dozens were assaulted and aggressively ejected from the area throughout the evening by vigilantes as the police largely stood by.

On Monday, June 15, Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson (D-52) issued a statement in response to the weekend of violence in South Philly, remarking that the city’s reaction to the vigilantism was a “stark contrast” to its reaction towards Black Lives Matter protesters.

This country may have amended the Constitution to correct the blatant disregard of Black lives during its founding, but we have not done the work to change the perceptions and systems that continue to make it possible.” — Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson

She stressed that the country’s laws, as well as the application of the law, must be “applied consistently and do not disproportionately harm Black people.” Gilmore Richardson added that the threats and attacks towards reporters were “completely unacceptable” and that the freedom of the press must be upheld.

As of Tuesday reports continue coming in of assaults and attacks that have been made by vigilantes surrounding the Columbus statue in Marconi Plaza.

In a letter to Public Art Director Margot Berg, Mayor Kenney asked Ms. Berg to “initiate as soon as possible the public process through the Art Commission” regarding the possible removal of the statue.

I believe that a public process, allowing for all viewpoints, especially those of indigenous people whose ancestors suffered under the rule of European settlers, to be in the best interest of the City.” — Philadelphia Mayor Kenney

As of Monday, June 15, an investigation is ongoing in the Philadelphia Police Department regarding the lack of police interference in the violent vigilante behavior over the past three days. Captain Campione has been transferred out of South Philly’s 1st district, where he had worked for the past 10 years in his 40+-year-long career as a Philadelphia police officer.

It remains to be seen whether the Columbus statue in Philadelphia will stay. For now the demonstrated willingness of the armed vigilantes to use violence to keep others away from the Columbus statue may prevent anti-racist community members from toppling the statue themselves, but the city of Philadelphia may yet act to remove the memorial to a man responsible for Indigenous genocide as unrest over systemic racism continue rippling through the country.

Racist Attacks Continue at Marconi Plaza

From Instagram

Yesterday, South Philly racists aka The Gravy Seals/ Veal Team 6, gathered at the Christopher Columbus statue at Marconi Plaza where they got drunk, brandished weapons at all those that disagreed with them and throughout the day kettled people to jump them as cops watched. Multiple women and femmes, including a group of young teens, were sexually harassed and groped. Racial epithets were yelled at Black people in attendance. The police cleared some people from Marconi Plaza, leaving a group of racists by the statue. One sergeant said “We’re only going to get involved if fists start flying- they can yell at each other all they want” but when the racists started to punch the sergeant just pulled out his phone and ignored it. The journalist from @unicorn.riot who was jumped on Saturday was targeted multiple times. They pushed a woman down in the middle of Oregon Avenue, beat her and stole her phone. Multiple people were pepper sprayed, and someone who was sprayed was subsequently punched in the face. One man from Veil Team 6 kept screaming “I want war” all day. Make no mistake where fascists stand- they want a race war and they are backed by the police.