More than 200 arrested during Philadelphia unrest
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police report that more than 200 people have been arrested after a peaceful protest over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week gave way to violence, looting, and vandalism this weekend.
The violence started Saturday afternoon and continueed right into Sunday night.
City officials say nearly 20 Philadelphia police officers have been hurt this weekend.
READ MORE: Philadelphia officers hit with bricks, Molotov cocktails as unrest continues
Commissioner Danielle Outlaw, the first black woman to lead the department, said many of those responsible for injuries, vandalism and fires weren't acting in alignment with the peaceful protesters but with the intent to destroy "and quite frankly, those folks didn't look like me."
"So to hold up a "Black Lives Matter" sign and then use the destruction that they were committing in the name of Black Lives Matter is not only a slap in the face but is completely a setback for everything that's been accomplished by those who have been working to improve civil rights over the many many decades and those of us who are working internally to do our part to fix the issues within the criminal justice system," she said.
Outlaw said of the 207 arrested this weekend, 48 people were apprehended for burglary/looting and three for assault on police officers. Four city and state police vehicles were set ablaze and nine other fires were set to vehicles and structures.
Philadelphia implemented a citywide curfew, lasting until Sunday morning, and Gov. Tom Wolf signed a disaster emergency declaration for assistance. The declaration authorizes the adjutant general of the state National Guard and the Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner to activate personnel.
"Peaceful protests earlier were touching shows of our collective grief," Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said Saturday night, just as the city's curfew hit. "But the anger being displayed this afternoon cannot and will not continue."
Amid the clean-up efforts in Center City Sunday morning, looters could be seen removing merchandise from storefronts with broken facades.
On Sunday morning, firefighters continued to tend to hotspots that remained of a large fire that broke out near 17th and Walnut streets, an area heavily hit by looters.
