Culture & Society

Cops sit helpless as lawless street racers do donuts around them, light fireworks in front of city hall

October 4, 2021 | | Print Article

Police officers in Philadelphia who responded to a report of lawless street racing at city hall were surrounded by a mob while muscle cars did donuts around their patrol car and people danced on the hood of their vehicle.

The incident was caught on video downtown outside Philadelphia’s famous city hall Saturday night by a witness filming from a window in a nearby building just before midnight. Cars squealed around the police car multiple times kicking up dust and burning rubber. Passengers hung out of the windows of the cars while they did donuts.

“No f****** way,” onlookers could be heard yelling as the car drove by them, according to the Daily Mail. “Oh sh**, oh sh**,” another person said as someone was filmed clambering onto the police cruiser’s hood and stomping on it.

Despite damage being done to the vehicle and the violent behavior swarming around them, officers did nothing and made no arrests. This was just one of the multiple gatherings that occurred across the city that police broke up that night.

(Video Credit: CBS Philly)

The racers were busy putting on a show before the police arrived as well, doing continuous donuts in the wide intersection as a mob of hundreds of onlookers blocked traffic.

Fireworks were also set off during the exhibition. No one was injured in the festivities.

“We really lawless as sh**,” a video of the chaotic incident was labeled.

Eventually, police got the racers to disperse and then returned the flow of traffic to normal.

(Video Credit: Fox 29 Philadelphia)

Police are now investigating the gathering but have not found or arrested any of the drivers yet.

The incident is one in a pattern of lawlessness and street racing that frequently occurs around the city. One week ago, another event occurred near Temple University. Students ran as a car attempted to get through an intersection where two other vehicles were doing donuts and gunfire erupted. Nobody was hurt. Police are still investigating that incident as well.

Crime has skyrocketed in Philadelphia this year. Street racing is one facet of the spiraling crime wave that is spreading across the city.

“It kind of looked reckless, to be honest with you,” Amrit Chaphein told 6 ABC.

“It’s totally unacceptable. I can’t justify that, it’s unacceptable man,” remarked Rob Logan of North Philadelphia.

Logan contends that the incident only adds to the growing concerns around the city. “The city is out of control,” he flatly stated.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney released a statement concerning the dangerous stunts.

“What happened last night on streets near City Hall was incredibly and needlessly dangerous. Incidents that pose threats to safety and endanger the public will not be tolerated. We’re working with the police department to ensure that these reckless incidents do not happen in the future,” Kenney vowed. So far, they have been unable to stop them.

Cpl. Jasmine Reilly told LEO Affairs that one of the overnight gatherings involved more than 200 cars at Tabor and Adams Avenues in Northeast Philadelphia. Police reported no one was hurt or arrested, but she said the department is “actively investigating these incidents to determine whether charges will be forthcoming.”

The events that are sometimes referred to as “sideshows” are often organized on social media and involve drivers performing stunts in vacant lots or in street intersections.

“Our number one priority is the safety of the public,” Reilly said, “which can, and often does, become compromised when individuals behave in a reckless manner that endangers themselves and those around them.”

People were stunned by the lawless display:

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Terresa Monroe-Hamilton
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