District Attorney Krasner Statement on Fishtown Incident

CONTACT: Jane Roh, 215–686–8711, Jane.Roh@phila.gov

The video of men marching through the streets of Fishtown armed with bats, a hatchet and other weapons is disgusting. Reports and images of their innocent neighbors being beaten, threatened and addressed with hateful speech by them are devastating. And, if confirmed, reports that some police officers witnessed and tolerated this conduct without arresting them only add to the hurt arising from George Floyd’s killing by police. I know Commissioner Outlaw doesn’t want and will not tolerate passive support for vigilante violence and hatred from any Philadelphia Police Officer. The vast majority of people in Philadelphia’s streets right now are there because they are peacefully expressing the need for accountability in policing, which not only saves the lives of people like George Floyd but also restores trust between police and the people they serve, and elevates decent police officers by knocking down those who have gone rogue.

The sight of armed vigilantes in Philadelphia streets shames the entire city. By marching through Fishtown armed under the guise of protecting police — who are already armed themselves with guns, shields, helmets, and other weapons — from people who just want to be heard, those men further reinforced the idea that people cannot peacefully question authority without meeting violence. I want to be clear: violence and threats and disorderly acts of hatred will not be tolerated by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. People who do it will be prosecuted, as will anyone who helps them cause harm. They are the problem, not the solution; they are the danger, not the peaceful protesters.