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Another case of fatal police violence against blacks in the United States is causing a stir: After police shot a 27-year-old in Philadelphia, hundreds demonstrated. There were clashes with the security forces.
After the death of a black man by police shooting in Philadelphia, people demonstrated against police violence in the American city for the second night in a row. There were clashes between protesters and security forces, as well as looting.
Police said on Twitter that “a huge crowd” of around 1,000 people was looting shops. Footage captured from a helicopter showed people entering a sports store and other stores.
Pennsylvania State Governor Tom Wolf’s office announced that several hundred National Guard personnel would be dispatched to the city “to protect the right to peaceful assembly and protest, and to protect the safety of the people.”
Mobile phone video shows police shooting
The protests were sparked by an incident on Monday afternoon: Two white police officers shot a black man who was armed with a knife. The incident is captured on cell phone video. There, the officers can be heard asking the 27-year-old to drop the knife. When the man identified as Walter Wallace pushes his mother and runs towards the police officers, the officers open fire.
Wallace, 27, suffered from mental health problems, according to his family. Wallace was in a mental crisis: His brother wanted to call an ambulance for help and not the police, the lawyer told the family. According to Wallace’s parents, police knew their son was in a mental health crisis after being at the family home three times Monday. The family’s attorney criticized the Philadelphia police for not being trained to deal with mental health problems.
Referring to the incident filmed by passersby, Mayor Jim Kenney said: “I saw video of this tragic incident. It raises difficult questions that need answers.” Police Chief Danielle Outlaw promised a thorough investigation of the case.
Second night of demos
Hundreds of protesters took to the streets Monday night after the fatal shooting by police. There were riots and clashes with the police. More than 90 people were arrested and 30 policemen were injured.
In the United States, following the death of unarmed black George Floyd in a brutal police operation in Minneapolis in late May, protests by the Black Lives Matter movement against racism and police violence continued. Apart from the mostly peaceful demonstrations, there were repeated riots.
