Philadelphia Officials Apologize For Using Tear Gas On Nonviolent Protesters

CENTER IN PHILADELPHIA, THIS ISCBS3 EYE-WITNESS NEWS ON THE CWPHILLY.ADMISSIONS AND APOLOGIES.CITY LEADERS ADMIT THEY WEREGIVEN INCORRECT ANDUNCORROBORATED EXPLANATIONS ONWHY THE DECISION WAS MADE TOFIRE TEAR GAS PEPPER SPRAY ANDRUBBER BULLETS ON PROTESTERS ON676.CHANGES ARE NOW IN EFFECT.ONE OF THOSE CHANGES, APHILADELPHIA POLICE DEPARTMENTTEMPORARILY STOPPING THE USE OFTEAR GAS FOR CROWD CONTROL.LET'S TAKE YOU BACK TO HOW ALLTHIS BEGAN.IT WAS JUNE 1ST, DAY THREE OFPROTESTS OVER THE DEATH OFGEORGE FLOYD.PROTESTERS SPILL ON THE VINESTREET EXPRESSWAY.MINUTES LATER, OFFICERS DEPLOYEDTEAR GAS, RUBBER BULLETS ANDPEPPER SPRAY AND TODAY AFTER NEWVIDEO WAS RELEASED BY THE NEWYORK TIMES, CITY LEADERS SAY ITSHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED.EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTERKIMBERLY DAVIS IS AT POLICEHEADQUARTERS WITH ALL SIDES OFTHIS STORY FROM THE CITY LEADERSTO THE FOP TO THOSE REPRESENTINGTHE PROTESTERS.KIMBERLY?UKEE, THAT'S RIGHT.AND TODAY BOTH THE POLICECOMMISSIONER AND MAYOR AREAPOLOGIZING FOR WHAT HAPPENED ONJUNE 1ST AFTER DEFENDING THEDEPARTMENT'S ACTIONS FOR WEEKS.THE PHILADELPHIA FOP SAYS THEREIS NO NEED TO APOLOGIZE, ANDTHAT CITY LEADERS DO NOT SUPPORTTHE POLICE DEPARTMENT.IT WAS A CHAOTIC SCENE ON I 676.PEACEFUL PROTESTERS TRAPPED ONTHE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAYSURROUNDED BY SWAT OFFICERSDEPLOYING TEAR GAS.THE IMAGES FROM THAT DAY SPARKEDA NEW YORK TIMES JOURNALISTICINVESTIGATION SHOWING VIOLATIONSOF THEIR OWN GUIDELINES ON CROWDCONTROL.I THINK IT WAS A VERY, VERYSTRONG INCIDENCE WHERE IT LOOKSVERY CLEAR FROM THE BEGINNINGTHAT, YOU KNOW, THAT POLICE USEDTEAR GAS IN AN INAPPROPRIATEWAY.AFTER VIEWING THE NEW YORKTIMES VIDEO, PHILADELPHIA POLICECOMMISSIONER DANIELLE OUTLAW ANDMAYOR JIM KENNEY HELD A NEWSCONFERENCE THURSDAY APOLOGIZINGFOR THEIR PREVIOUS STATEMENTJUSTIFYING THE USE OF TEAR GASON THOSE PROTESTERS.EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY I AMDECLARING A CATEGORICALMORATORIUM ON THE USE OF TEARGAS ON CROWDS WHICH INCLUDES ANYPERSONS PEACEFULLY ASSEMBLING ORPASSIVELY RESISTING.DENNIS CAPTAIN DENNIS WILSONDEMOTED HIMSELF AFTER HEAUTHORIZED THE USE OF TEAR GASON 676 THAT DAY WITHOUT TELLINGOUTLAW.ANOTHER SWAT OFFICER CAPTURED ONCAMERA SPRAYING PROTESTERS INTHE FACE WILL BE GIVEN FORMALNOTICE ON FRIDAY OF A 30-DAYSUSPENSION WITH INTENT TODISMISS.HE FACES TWO CHARGES OF CONDUCTUNBECOMING OF AN OFFICER ANDUNAUTHORIZED OR EXCESSIVE USE OFFORCE WHILE IN AN OFFICIALCAPACITY.EVER SINCE SEEING THE VIDEOOF THE TERRIFYING INCIDENT ON I676 I REGRETTED MY DECISION FROMTHE DAY BEFORE.I ALSO REGRET MY STATEMENTS THATFOLLOWED WHICH ATTEMPTED TOJUSTIFY THE USE OF TEAR GAS INTHAT PARTICULAR SITUATION.THE PRESIDENT OF THEPHILADELPHIA FRATERNAL ORDER OFPOLICE SAYS THERE'S NO LONGERLEADERSHIP IN THE CITY.FOR THE OFFICERS OUT THERETHE MESSAGE IS BE CAREFUL, CALLUS IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, NOBODYHAS YOUR BACK.THE PROTESTERS ATTORNEY SAIDNO ONE HAD THE BACKS OF PEACEFULPROTESTERS CARRYING OUT THEIRCONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT ANDSTRICTER PUNISHMENT SHOULD BEHANDED DOWN.WE BELIEVE THERE ARE MANYOTHERS WHO SHOULD BE HELDRESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAPPENEDOUT THERE.COMMISSIONER OUTLAW SAYS THEONLY TIME POLICE OFFICERS WILLCONSIDER USING TEAR GAS IS IF APERSON IS ARMED AND DANGEROUS.SHE ALSO WENT ON TO SAY THATADDITIONAL PERSONNEL ADJUSTMENTSARE BEING CONSIDERED.WE'RE LIVE OUTSIDE OF POLICE