Face to face: Police patrol outside the Wells Fargo Center during last week’s DNC. U.S. Secret Service arrested 11 demonstrators who allegedly attempted to breach perimeter security during the convention. MARIA YOUNG / TIMES PHOTO
Philadelphia police made no arrests but they cited 106 demonstrators for disorderly conduct during the four days of the Democratic National Convention. Meanwhile, the U.S. Secret Service arrested and charged 11 demonstrators who allegedly attempted to breach perimeter security around the Wells Fargo Center during the convention.
In addition, 12 police officers were injured on DNC assignments with complaints of heat exhaustion, minor illnesses, one sprained ankle and one broken arm resulting from a bicycle crash, the police department said.
The level of enforcement was a far cry from the last time Philadelphia hosted a national political convention, the Republican National Convention in 2000, when police made more than 400 arrests and raided a West Philadelphia warehouse where demonstrators were making giant puppets for use in protest marches.
In advance of this year’s convention, City Council passed and Mayor Jim Kenney signed an ordinance to decriminalize low-level offenses such as disorderly conduct. So instead of arresting offenders, police were to detain them temporarily and issue them citations. Each offense resulted in a $50 fine.
On Monday, July 25, the first day of the convention, police were dispatched to more than 15 demonstrations involving about 5,500 participants. One demonstration resulted in 54 citations. At about 5:30 p.m., a group gathered at Broad and Pattison, many of whom began climbing a fence and attempting to access a restricted area, police said. Police told the group several times to stop the advance, but many refused. The 54 people were cited and released.
On July 26, police were dispatched to more than eight separate demonstrations with about 5,000 participants combined. At about 8:30 p.m., five people allegedly scaled a perimeter fence and tried to enter a Secret Service secure zone. Police detained the five suspected invaders, four of whom were later arrested by federal agents and charged with entering a restricted area.
On July 27, police were dispatched to more than 24 demonstrations with about 1,500 participants combined. At about 11:40 a.m., 10 people entered the Comcast building at 1701 JFK Blvd. and allegedly staged a sit-in, attaching themselves with zip-ties to a rolling gate. After one hour, police removed them from the building, cited them and released them.
That night at about 9:15 p.m., 34 demonstrators allegedly staged a sit-in at Broad and Pattison parking lot T, blocking traffic flow for the event. All 34 were removed, cited and released.
At about 10:50 p.m. on the same night, seven people allegedly pushed through a perimeter gate and entered a Secret Service secure zone. Police detained the seven, who were later arrested by federal agents and charged with entering a restricted area.
On the final day of the convention last Thursday, police were dispatched to more than 10 demonstrations involving about 645 people combined. At midnight, three people allegedly began climbing a fence at Broad and Pattison attempting to access a restricted area. They were cited and released.
Philadelphia police deployed about 2,600 officers to the convention and related events around the city, while about 327 Pennsylvania State Troopers were deployed, along with 114 local or county officials. ••
