Sixteen Antifa members were arrested in Philadelphia during a counter protest on Saturday morning.
They were protesting against a Blue Lives Matter rally that was taking place in the same vicinity.
Philadelphia Police Department told CBS 3 that there were approximately 75 Antifa protesters in total. Multiple protest goers clashed with police officers. Of the 16 people arrested, nine were issued citations while seven were charged with disorderly conduct.
The first arrests have been made @WHYYNews pic.twitter.com/nkZCX79c14
— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen) August 25, 2018
First arrests have been made as Blue Lives Matter supporters and counter-protesters rally in Center City https://t.co/XRQObECOPC pic.twitter.com/aj2KyYO6FW
— WHYY News (@WHYYNews) August 25, 2018
“In spite of all the negative press towards police, we want to show our support of our men and women in blue,” wrote Zachary Rehl, the Blue Lives Matter event organizer, according to CBS 3. Rehl is the son of a fallen Philadelphia police officer.
Protestors are now surrounding a police car. Chants about killing police have continued @WHYYNews pic.twitter.com/ON1r2dwste
— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen) August 25, 2018
The “Abolish ICE – Philly” Twitter account tweeted that multiple arrests had occurred and asked people for bail money via Venmo.
Antifascists in Philly shut down a fascist March today. Unfortunately we had 11 arrests occur in the process. Please send bail money to @occupyphl if you can
— ABOLISH ICE – PHILLY (@no_ice_PHL) August 25, 2018
In the press release Abolish ICE/Antifa sent out about their counter protest, they said, “The page Sports Beer & Poliitics II – is a racist front-group that supports Nazis, police brutality and the alt-right. They marched with the Nazis and KKK in Charlottesville.”
It went on, “Racist violence has become particularly frightening across the country as police departments continue to aid and abet racist causes.”
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