Readers Write: That’s Just What South Street Is Like Now
any idea why the whole police force seemed to be on duty this weekend?
in center city on saturday i saw state troopers on horseback, highway
patrol on motorcycles, homeland security trucks, bomb disposal units,
and one paddy wagon after another, especially on south street.
Unlike most reader emails, this might actually be one we know something about. We cannot attest to the Homeland Security aspect of all of this, but we have heard various reports of local cops conducting quaint Guiliani-esque raids on open container offenders — including one hilarious tale of the same cop who popped Sweeney for handing out Echo & The Bunnymen afterparty fliers being up to his old tricks — that center around South Street but are in no way limited to that area. (A bunch of people got arrested for drinking outside the First Unitarian Church last week.)
Also, we could swear we saw a Black Hawk helicopter flying VERY LOW over Fishtown on Saturday as well. But we don’t think that has anything to do with anything. Mostly, that’s just what South Street is like now. Be careful with that beer you got there, Philadelphia.
Update: As several commenters below note, it was, after all, the Governor’s Convention that was in town. I’m telling you, though, don’t be caught dead outside with that delicious Bud pounder you’re working on. They’ve got plain clothes on this! PLAIN CLOTHES! FOR BEER! I KNOW!
July 15th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
oh you mean like why I got pulled over surrounded by 4 cop cars and they asked me if my car was stolen?
Why is your steering column like that? – Officer Jones
Ummm cause my car is a piece if total shit – me
Anything Illegal in the car? – Jones
No _ me
Leans in real close Are you sure about that?
what the f- I can’t believe cause a white kid is driving in a somewhat bad area with a shit car they think I stole it for some heroin or something…
Racial profiling works both ways I guess
July 15th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
It’s a Greek Picnic Memorial crackdown. Remember when the Greek Picnic was like Armageddon? Sigh.
July 15th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Actually it probably had less to do with South Street and more to do with the National Governor’s Association being in town all weekend. There were motorcades galore blocking traffic in town all weekend, mostly on South Broad from City Hall to Lombard.
July 15th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
As much as I love the annual civic freakout over the Future Black Accountants of America convention, I mean Greek Picnic, there’s also the US Governors Convention in town. I suspect that’s a bigger contributor to the overall police state vibe.
July 15th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
it was all about the Governors COnvention and bill clinton was in town.
July 15th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
i saw the crazy police presence on saturday and i think it was because it was greek week/ the greek picnic. every year they really beef up the police on south street for it.