Philadelphia rally protests May 5 police beatings

Over 200 family members of victims of police brutality and their supporters gathered to express outrage over the May 5 brutal beating of three Black men by 19 white police officers caught on video from a FOX29 news helicopter. The protesters denounced city officials for not filing criminal charges against the officers involved.

Yolanda Dyches, family member of May 5th police brutality victim. WW photo: Joe Piette

One day earlier, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey announced that four of the officers would be fired for their part in the beatings, and three others would face five to 15 days suspension. Sgt. Joseph Schiavone, who was in charge of the police involved, was demoted.

Given the history of unpunished police brutality in Philadelphia, few expect the firings and suspensions to withstand arbitration hearings. The Fraternal Order of Police has already announced they will challenge Ramsey’s ruling.

Over the past five years 219 claims of assault have been filed against Philadelphia police. The City of Philadelphia has paid over $14 million to settle claims, yet no police have ever faced criminal charges for their actions.

D. Scott Perrine, attorney for Pete Hopkins, one of the men beaten, said Commissioner Ramsey should order the officers to be arrested for assault—a view echoed by many members of the victims’ families. “The commissioner is putting his stamp of approval on police brutality,” Perrine said. “He doesn’t need to pretend that District Attorney Lynne Abraham needs six months to watch a video tape.”

Perrine was targeted by police shortly after he spoke. He was arrested in Harrisburg, Pa., for missing a court date in another case that he had asked to be postponed. Karen Miller, a North Philly community activist who has been working with Perrine to address police brutality, said she believed his arrest was retaliatory. “We know the deal,” she said. “People in law enforcement stick together.”

After gathering across from City Hall at 15th and Market, the protesters marched a short distance to rally outside District Attorney Abraham’s office. Several speakers noted that she has the authority to bring criminal charges against the police involved, but has failed to do so.

Pam Africa of International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal and the MOVE organization expressed disgust with police, “Those cops abused their power. They were not supposed to beat those youth, maim those youth. They were not supposed to be judge, prosecutor and executioner, but that’s what they did.”

Leomia Dyches, mother of beating victim Dwayne Dyches, 24, criticized the media that claimed the three youth were “raised as animals” when they know nothing about how her son and the others were raised. “How were the people who beat my son raised?” she asked. Dyches also expressed concern that her son hasn’t even been hospitalized to get an assessment on injuries suffered from the police attack and could develop serious health problems as a result.

She criticized their lockup as a coverup for misconduct by “Philadelphia’s finest.”

Beating victims including Dyches; Brian Hall, 23; and Pete Hopkins, 19, who police charged with attempted murder, are being held pending a preliminary hearing, which was postponed from May 15 after three witnesses for the prosecution failed to show up in court. No weapon was found in the young men’s car. Also none of the three were charged with fleeing, resisting arrest or assaulting an officer.

Shelly Moore, the aunt of another Black youth murdered by the police in 2004, expressed her solidarity. “Every time they shoot one of us, it affects all of us. Justice is going to be done in all of these cases. Won’t be today, won’t be tomorrow, but we’re going to stay out here—stay the course. We’ve got to keep fighting!”

Shirley Hopkins, mother of Pete Hopkins, called for the jailing of all the police involved, along with the commissioner and the district attorney. “They think they can pacify us with a few firings. How dare they insult our intelligence?”

Several speakers cited the lack of jobs and economic opportunities for young Black men as a related problem. Yolanda Dyches noted that the young men arrested had jobs, but were fired because of the police actions. “They want to hold us back, oppress us,” she said. “It needs to end!”

Paula Peoples of the National Action Network announced plans for a June 4th demonstration and press conference at noon outside the Federal Building at 6th and Market Streets to demand an investigation by the Philadelphia Civil Rights Commission. “All over the country our young Black men are dying at the hands of the police. We have to stand up like New York, like Chicago, like L.A.”