Philadelphia Experiences Wave of Looting Amid Protests Over Dismissal of Charges Against Police Officer

On Tuesday night, Philadelphia experienced a wave of looting in multiple neighborhoods across the city. Interim Police Commissioner John Stanford said that the looting was not connected to the protests that had been taking place that day over the dismissal of charges against a police officer in the shooting death of Eddie Irizarry.

The looting began in Center City, where groups of mostly young people broke into stores. Video showed the scene outside a Lululemon store that had been looted. At one point, the crowd making its way through Center City was estimated to be around 100 people.

The looting also spread to North Philadelphia and Northeast Philadelphia, where multiple retail stores and at least one small business were looted. Stanford said that the looters were not protesters and that they were “criminal opportunists” who were taking advantage of the situation.

The Philadelphia Police Department is currently investigating the looting and is asking anyone with information to come forward. Stanford said that the police will be taking a “zero-tolerance” approach to the looting and that anyone found to be involved will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.