A ride through downtown Philly during looting

[Veloo]

Don't know if this is too political. I just found it to be an interesting vantage point.
Surprised it's in blatant, broad daylight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znMCGKdaV2I

Mods, if you gotta close, close away.

[joosttx]

I use to live on 16th and Arch. Right in the middle of it all.

[pjm]

Thanks for sharing this example of peaceful protesting.

[arimajol]

Interesting to see even this anecdotal clip. Couple things strike me.
1) there is nobody there chanting, marching, holding signs. This underscores that the protests and the looting aren't the same thing and mostly aren't the same people.
2) most of the people are just walking or standing around, not looting.

[eBAUMANN]

wow. that is surreal to watch.

seeing photos and videos of (seemingly) isolated incidents during protests is one thing...a video tour through several blocks of mayhem during the middle of the day is something quite different.

truly remarkable times we are witnessing...

[rallizes]

Thanks for sharing this example of peaceful protesting.

my dog just looked up

[texbike]

This is crazy! Notice how many of the bank locations (as an example) are unscathed while the Vans and Dr. Martens stores are looted along with the Apple Store and Urban Outfitters? Looting for justice!!!

This goes soooo far beyond a protest of police brutality and violence against minorities. To me, all of this seems to be driven more by a lack of social and economic equality (there has ever been a greater level of economic inequality in this country in modern history). This could get much worse in the coming year with the number of people out of work and having few opportunities to be gainfully employed. It kind of reminds me of the undercurrents of Joker in a very scary way.

Texbike

[shrimp123]

right to assemble peacefully -- YES
right to protest -- YES, if peacefully

right to yell at top of voice -- umm, OK, go ahead

right t0 wreck havoc -- hell, no
right to plunder -- hell, no


as much as i agree with the "justice is needed", this aint no way of getting it. It will only damage the cause.....

[joosttx]

Thanks for sharing this example of peaceful protesting.

It is not. It’s the failure of America, the failure of the American dream which I am a part of and I assume you are too.


Harlem
BY LANGSTON HUGHES

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over—
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

[eBAUMANN]

This is crazy! Notice how many of the bank locations (as an example) are unscathed while the Vans and Dr. Martens stores are looted along with the Apple Store and Urban Outfitters? Looting for justice!!!

There was at least one Wells Fargo with every window smashed...
That said, I dont think looters are targeting bank vaults or cash registers...its smash and grab, not Ocean's 11.

---

When the police/gov't are the problem and politics have devolved to the point they are at now...it really does start to feel a little hopeless that any real change can be made.
In the mean time, millions are unemployed/facing eviction and the police continue to kill unchecked...something's gotta give.

"While no one condones looting, on the other hand, one can understand the pent-up feelings that may result from decades of repression and people who have had members of their family killed by that regime, for them to be taking their feelings out on that regime," he said. "And I don't think there's anyone in any of those pictures ... (who wouldn't) accept it as part of the price of getting from a repressed regime to freedom." - Donald Rumsfeld (https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2003/04/11/Rumsfeld-Looting-is-transition-to-freedom/63821050097983/)

[AngryScientist]

Unfortunately, the reality is that for big corporate places like Urban Outfitters, Vans, etc - it's the Insurance companies that are going to take it on the chin for this type of mess.

the more unfortunate reality is the small mom and pop shops, little convenience stores, laundry places, much more marginal businesses - they will likely not be carrying the civil unrest riders the corporate guys with loss control specialists do.

the people who will get hurt the most by looting are the people who can least afford to be hurt.

very sad.

[sjbraun]

I'm not sure business insurance covers damages from rioting or civil disturbances. I think I remember reading in my homeowner's policy that these things were not covered. Anyone know for sure?

[eBAUMANN]

the more unfortunate reality is the small mom and pop shops, little convenience stores, laundry places, much more marginal businesses - they will likely not be carrying the civil unrest riders the corporate guys with loss control specialists do.

the people who will get hurt the most by looting are the people who can least afford to be hurt.

very sad.

thankfully, crowdfunding will always be there for those who can least afford ANYTHING.

for example - https://www.gofundme.com/f/scores-bar-mpls-riot-rebuild

[AngryScientist]

I'm not sure business insurance covers damages from rioting or civil disturbances. I think I remember reading in my homeowner's policy that these things were not covered. Anyone know for sure?

if you have business insurance, either you have "civil unrest" cover, or you dont. obviously, just like flood insurance, you will pay more in the premiums if you elect to carry the coverage.

big companies have loss control specialists that make decisions like that.

if you have a storefront in a major city, you can bet that most of the corporate run shops will have civil unrest coverage.

[idrinkwater]

re: looting

another prescient quote from Donald Rumsfeld

Stuff happens

[texbike]

Unfortunately, the reality is that for big corporate places like Urban Outfitters, Vans, etc - it's the Insurance companies that are going to take it on the chin for this type of mess.

the more unfortunate reality is the small mom and pop shops, little convenience stores, laundry places, much more marginal businesses - they will likely not be carrying the civil unrest riders the corporate guys with loss control specialists do.

the people who will get hurt the most by looting are the people who can least afford to be hurt.

very sad.

Oh, believe me - I'm not shedding a single tear for the large corporations. I'm 100% a small business advocate and really feel for their losses. I was just making an observation of what the "protesters" had primarily gone after.

There was at least one Wells Fargo with every window smashed...
That said, I dont think looters are targeting bank vaults or cash registers...its smash and grab, not Ocean's 11.

---

When the police/gov't are the problem and politics have devolved to the point they are at now...it really does start to feel a little hopeless that any real change can be made.
In the mean time, millions are unemployed/facing eviction and the police continue to kill unchecked...something's gotta give.

"While no one condones looting, on the other hand, one can understand the pent-up feelings that may result from decades of repression and people who have had members of their family killed by that regime, for them to be taking their feelings out on that regime," he said. "And I don't think there's anyone in any of those pictures ... (who wouldn't) accept it as part of the price of getting from a repressed regime to freedom." - Donald Rumsfeld (https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2003/04/11/Rumsfeld-Looting-is-transition-to-freedom/63821050097983/)

I must have missed the bank that you mention. Never-the-less, all good points. Donald Rumsfeld - a "special" kind of human that one. Along with the rest of that particular administration. I like the first line in the article that you linked. ;)

Texbike

[ColonelJLloyd]

"While no one condones looting, on the other hand, one can understand the pent-up feelings that may result from decades of repression and people who have had members of their family killed by that regime, for them to be taking their feelings out on that regime," he said. "And I don't think there's anyone in any of those pictures ... (who wouldn't) accept it as part of the price of getting from a repressed regime to freedom." - Donald Rumsfeld (https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2003/04/11/Rumsfeld-Looting-is-transition-to-freedom/63821050097983/)

This reminds me I keep meaning to watch Errol Morris' The Unknown Known (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2390962/).