LGBTQ+ community demands answers at Philadelphia City Council hearing on police response to Pride celebrations
Members of the LGBTQ+ community are demanding answers after the Philadelphia Police Department's response to Pride celebrations in the Gayborhood sparked backlash.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel spoke at a City Council hearing Wednesday afternoon and pledged that changes would be made to his department after the incident in June.
Bethel acknowledged June 7 was not a perfect day for the city. But for the few dozen people who testified Wednesday about their experiences in the Gayborhood that day, there was a lot of anger, frustration and confusion.
"What we witnessed was an atrocity to our rights," said Naiymah Sanchez, who is with the ACLU of Pennsylvania.
Emotions were high inside council chambers as members of the LGBTQ+ community spoke out about what they described as an overly aggressive police response to Pride celebrations in the Gayborhood.
Bethel testified and indicated the department was caught off guard by how early people started to gather in the Gayborhood — while Pride events on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway were still happening.
But lawmakers and community members questioned that.
"It is mind-boggling to think that you and your team would not know that people were going back to the Gayborhood," City Councilmember Rue Landau said.
"You can Google it and see that that was the norm," said Tyrell Brown, the founder of Philly Pride 365.
Bethel showed videos of what he described as young people fighting in the area and said eventually the decision was made to clear everyone out.
But questions arose about some of the tactics used. Police funneled people onto the sidewalks using barricades. Motorcycles and horses were used to clear the area.
Bethel said some of these actions are under review.
"Is it pretty when we put the bikes up on the sidewalk? No. Are we looking at examining that? Yes," Bethel said. "Should we have broken out the barricades? Yes."
But many said the incident cut deeper, breaking a shaky trust after a long history of tension between law enforcement and the LGBTQ+ community. Those in the community said difficult conversations need to happen.
"Conversations are moving forward, are had with the entire community and it doesn't stop at the table," Sanchez said.
"Do we trust that he's going to respond and there's going to be changes? I don't know," Brown said. "But I think we can take a moment and hope that's going to happen because he did acknowledge it."
Mayor Cherelle Parker released a statement Wednesday supporting Bethel, but added the city can and must do better.
Bethel said that it's not just about the conversation; it's about what steps they can take moving forward. He added that the department is committed to making sure everyone feels safe.
