Nutter tells teens to quit embarrassing their race

(NNPA)—Mayor Michael Nutter of Philadelphia may be the first Black politician to address “flash mob” attacks that involve majority Black teens rummaging stores and attacking other races.

“You have damaged your own race,” Nutter said to a group of Black teens, the Washington Times reported. “Take those God-darn hoodies down, especially in the summer. Pull your pants up and buy a belt ‘cause no one wants to see your underwear or the crack of your butt.”

flashmob
FLASH MOB INCIDENT—In this March 20, 2010 file photo, young people run down South Street in Philadelphia during a flash mob incident that involved thousands and closed the street to traffic from Front Street to Broad. Thanks to websites like Twitter and Facebook, more and more so-called flash mobs are materializing across the globe, leaving police scrambling to keep tabs on the spontaneous assemblies. (AP Photo/The Philadelphia Inquirer, Laurence Kesterson)


The series of flash mob attacks in Philadelphia involve a group of teens who spontaneously assault random people in the tourist locations.

Nutter then continued: “If you walk into somebody’s office with your hair uncombed and a pick in the back, and your shoes untied, and your pants half down, tattoos up and down your arms and on your neck, and you wonder why somebody won’t hire you? They don’t hire you ‘cause you look like you’re crazy.”

In order to slow attacks, Nutter has moved up the curfew for minors to 9 p.m. on the weekend. Police patrols are also sent to certain neighborhoods.

Each time a child is caught in violation of the curfew, the parent will face an increased fine, according to the Washington Times.

Whyatt Mondesire, president of Philadelphia’s chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, appreciated Nutter’s comments and said it “took courage.”

“These are majority African-American youths and they need to be called on it,” he said.

Teens use text messaging to organize attacks on bystanders. On July 29, 20 to 30 teens went to Center City at night, then beat and robbed onlookers. One man was hospitalized as he was kicked in the head repeatedly and had a fractured skull.

Philadelphia’s first Black district attorney, Seth Williams, also lauded the mayor for using his position as one of the city’s most visible leaders to confront a public problem.

“What he was saying was perfectly accurate. People need to hear that,” Williams said. “Call it for what it is.”

Philadelphia is not the only city facing the same “flash mob” attacks. During Memorial Day weekend in Chicago, teens knocked over cyclists and “harassed picnickers,” according to the Washington Times.

In Washington, D.C., 20 teenagers entered a store in Dupont Circle and stole $20,000 worth of merchandise.

Recent flash mob attacks in the U.S. have been compared to riots seen in the current London crisis.

(Special to the NNPA from the AFRO-American newspapers.)

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