Snapshots of a City on Lockdown
Running updates (photos and other material) on the impact Pope Francis’ visit is having on Philadelphia, as security tightens in the run-up to his two-day trip.
Pope Francis arrives this morning for a two day visit. His itinerary includes delivering an address at Independence Mall today, and a meet-and-greet with prisoners at Curran Fromhold Correctional Facility Sunday. He will conclude his trip with Mass on the Ben Franklin Parkway on Sunday.
Friday, 25 September 2015
Authorities shut down the Ben Franklin Bridge to vehicular traffic at 10pm, and will not reopen until noon Monday:
National Guard units posted up along South Street, Old City, and elsewhere tonight starting at 6pm to secure the so-called traffic box (see map below). Vehicular traffic is restricted from entering; vehicles are allowed to exit, but cannot reenter.
Residents and papal pilgrims alike were met with a starkly different version of downtown Philadelphia this morning: security checkpoints, militarized police, thoroughfares devoid of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and large metal fencing throughout Center City.
Thursday, 24 September 2015
Tonight at 10 pm, the ‘secure perimeter’ around the Benjamin Franklin Parkway goes into effect. [An earlier version of this blog incorrectly stated that the ‘traffic box’ was scheduled to go up tonight. This in fact starts at 10pm Friday.]
Here’s a beautifully blunt Signe cartoon published today:
More images from today, including mobile shower units for medical personnel at Jefferson Hospital, and massive crowd control fences near Washington Square and Independence Hall:
Wednesday, 23 September 2015
A Philly resident had a rather unnerving brush with National Special Security event paranoia earlier today in the vicinity of where Pope Francis will hold closing Mass on Sunday:
More towing as the Parking Authority sweeps through sections of the city for cars violating posted security notices:
Tuesday, 22 September 2015
