Protests Turn Violent as Masked Looters Target Stores

What began as a peaceful protest against a US court’s decision in Philadelphia escalated into a large-scale act of hooliganism on Tuesday when dozens of masked individuals rampaged through stores like Apple, Foot Locker, and Lululemon. Numerous videos capturing groups of masked teenagers looting various stores quickly surfaced on the internet.

In these viral videos, the masked individuals were seen filling plastic bags with merchandise before making a swift getaway. The police have taken into custody approximately 15 to 20 individuals in connection with these incidents. These acts of vandalism and theft occurred in the wake of peaceful protests against a US judge’s decision. The judge had ruled to dismiss murder and other charges against a Philadelphia police officer who had fatally shot a driver named Eddie Irizarry through a rolled-up car window.

One video in particular showed individuals in hoodies dashing out of a Lululemon store with stolen goods, with police officers subsequently apprehending many of them. Images from a sporting goods store at a mall depicted mannequins and sneakers strewn across the sidewalk.

Addressing these recent mass robbery incidents, Interim Police Commissioner John Stanford clarified that the looting was not connected to the protest. He referred to the group of looters as “a bunch of criminal opportunists,” as reported by AP.

The incidents of theft and unrest spanned various parts of Philadelphia, from downtown to Northeast and West Philadelphia. During the looting, the perpetrators left stores in shambles, with broken windows and significant damage.

It appears that these criminal acts were coordinated through social media, according to Stanford. The police are currently investigating the possibility of a caravan of vehicles moving from one location to another during the looting, and a few individuals from this caravan are already in custody.

Coinciding with these thefts, major retailer Target made the decision to close nine of its stores in four states. This move was taken to ensure the safety of its employees, inventory, and customers. Among the closures, one Target store shut its doors in New York City’s East Harlem neighborhood, and three others were located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Target cited concerns about theft and organized retail crime as factors threatening the safety of its staff and patrons.