If you thought the looting and mayhem that broke out in Philadelphia this week had subsided, think again. There was another night of chaos. The unrest occurred after a judge tossed the murder charges against a police officer who shot and killed Eddie Irizarry. That incident occurred on August 14. Shortly after, the pandemonium commenced, with multiple locations in the city being ransacked by mobs.
As we noted before, it should have been a time for celebration. The Phillies are heading to the postseason, while the Eagles beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football. Not since 1993 have the Birds started consecutive seasons with 3-0 starts. Over 50 people have been arrested as police presence in the city increased to deter looters. Authorities claim the chaos is unconnected to the judge’s ruling in the officer-involved shooting, instead blaming a social media figure, ‘Meatball,’ for creating the turmoil (via NBC 10 Philadelphia):
After more than 50 people were arrested just the day before, looting erupted in Philadelphia again early Thursday, with reports of incidents occurring overnight all throughout the city.
Overnight, reports of looting began to spark across police radio just before 1:30 a.m., with incidents targeting several shops across the city:
- Shoe stores at Magee and Torresdale avenues in Tacony and along the 7500 block of State Road in Mayfair
- A pharmacy on the 2600 block of Lehigh Avenue in the city's Strawberry Mansion area
- A beauty supply shop on the 6800 block of Frankford Avenue in Holmesburg
- A liquor store in Olney along the 730 block of Adams Avenue
The evening comes on the heels of a night where dozens were arrested after stores were looted all across the city following an afternoon protest in response to all charges against the Philadelphia police officer who killed Eddie Irizarry in the city's Kensington neighborhood in August after stopping him for driving erratically.
[…]
Officials have said that the protest had no connection to earlier looting incidents.
Instead, on Tuesday, police arrested a social media influencer who, officials said, livestreamed and helped organize the looting that happened on Tuesday night.
In talking about the incidents that happened then, Mayor Jim Kenney said that Dayjia Blackwell, known as "Meatball" online, had "created, basically incited the riot."
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Meatball live-streamed the looting, which led to her arrest and six felony charges (via NY Post):
The Philadelphia social media influencer arrested while she livestreamed Tuesday night’s looting mayhem fought back tears as she was charged with six felonies.
Dayjia Blackwell, better known as “Meatball,” shared her firsthand view of the chaos, in which looters targeted several businesses including Apple, Foot Locker and Lululemon, before being caught.
In the videos posted to her Instagram Stories, Blackwell can be heard laughing and cheering on the other looters as she stood by and watched the chaos unfold.
At one point during her stream, Blackwell turned to face her camera and challenged the cops to arrest her.
“Tell the police they’re either gonna lock me up tonight, or it’s gonna get lit, it’s gonna be a movie,” she said at one point.
If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime.
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