Philadelphia, PA – May 30, 2020 – City Council President Darrell L. Clarke (5th District) today issued the following statement in response to protests in Philadelphia related to the death of George Floyd:
“The protests earlier today in Philadelphia in response to the death of George Floyd at the hands of police were peaceful, powerful and inspiring. As an African American man, I understand the anger and frustration behind these protests.
However, what happened in Center City later in the day was violent, destructive, and created the potential for serious injury to all those involved. We cannot allow that to continue. Such violence only serves to distract us from doing the real work of addressing the root causes of this frustration.
It is clear that, just as with the ongoing public health crisis, we cannot go back to the way things were before these incidents. We need a new normal in our country and in our city. Our citizens are demanding to have a meaningful voice in creating that new normal. It is our responsibility to listen.”
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