Violence, Looting Mar Philly Mardi Gras
P H I L A D E L P H I A, Feb. 28 -- Police in the City of Brotherly Love beefed up their presence to avoid a repeat of last year’s rowdy Mardi Gras celebrations, in which 33 people were arrested.
Instead, they got mob violence, looting and some 200 arrests as thousands of revelers turned into rampagers.
"We are appalled at the conduct of some folks who took what otherwise may have been an event that could be good for the city, good for the community and and good for businesses and turned it into something very ugly," Philadelphia Mayor John Street said.
Aerial footage captured by local ABC station WPVI shows crowds of people breaking windows, fighting and even attacking a car — which in turn drove through the seething mass, hitting several people in the process.
Those hit apparently walked away unharmed. There is no word on whether or not anyone else was injured in the unrest.
6 Stores Looted; 200 Arrests
At least six stores were trashed and looted during the unrest, which began late in the evening and continued until well after midnight in the bar-laden South Street area.
A state-run liquor store, a boutique and a record stores were among the shops trashed by the looters.
"By 5 o'clock, there were just about three arrests," Police Commissioner John Timmoney said. "But as the nigt progressed, particularly as you get around 10, 11 o'clock, things started to turn ugly."
At least 200 people were arrested and taken to a special night court set up to deal with potential Mardi Gras rowdies. Many were fined $300 for disorderly conduct, public drunkenness and fighting — including attacks on police officers.
The judge said those who did not pay the fine would spend the night in the pokey.
Report of Sex Violence
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that police did tend to ignore one minor crime: the Mardi Gras tradition of women baring their breasts.
“I did it because it’s Mardi Gras and it’s all in good fun,” Tina Vanzandt, 21, told the newspaper after flashing several officers. “Everybody wants to free themselves from authority.”
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