PHILADELPHIA — In response to the reckless activity in Center City over the weekend, Mayor Jim Kenney, District Attorney Larry Krasner, and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw issued the following joint statement today:
“On Saturday night, several hundred individuals gathered on streets just next to City Hall, to watch or engage in activities that were incredibly reckless and needlessly endangered people. We strongly condemn these individuals’ careless actions, which included setting off fireworks, blocking roads, and performing dangerous stunts with their vehicles. Just last year, we saw the highest number of traffic deaths on record due to people driving too fast and being unable to control their car and react. These irresponsible activities put the public at risk of serious harm and cannot and will not be tolerated anywhere in Philadelphia.
“The Police Department broke up several of these gatherings over the weekend, one of which involved more than 200 vehicles. Our top priority is the safety of the public, which becomes compromised when individuals behave in a reckless manner that endangers themselves and those around them.
“These gatherings have been an ongoing issue in the city and the Philadelphia Police Department has continuously deployed personnel to address this recurrent problem. These events impede anti-violence efforts in our neighborhoods as police resources are forced to activate and break up these dangerous gatherings, instead of remaining focused on preventing violence in our most vulnerable and at-risk neighborhoods.
“While there were no injuries reported to police and no arrests made, images and video make it clear that this situation could have ended badly, with people seriously injured or worse. The Police Department is actively investigating these incidents to identify the individuals involved and will determine what criminal charges are applicable. We are preparing in the event of future gatherings and will enforce against these activities to the full extent of the law.
“We encourage anyone who has information on the planning of these activities to call or text the Police Department’s anonymous tip line at 215-686-TIPS (8477).”