https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985_MOVE_bombing
MOVE members shot at Philadelphia police who had come to evict them from the house they were using as their headquarters. Philadelphia police aviators then dropped two explosive devices from a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter onto the roof of the house, which was occupied at the time. For 90 minutes, the Philadelphia Police Department allowed the resulting fire to burn out of control, destroying 61 previously evacuated neighboring houses over two city blocks and leaving 250 people homeless.[3] Six adults and five children were killed in the attack;[4] two occupants of the house, one adult and one child, survived. A lawsuit in federal court found that the city used excessive force and violated constitutional protections against unreasonable search and seizure.[5]
One of many fucking reasons why proportionality in response is vital. But hey, sure, let’s burn down the whole fucking block, it’s not like it’ll come out of the police budget. :/
I wasn’t born yet, but hearing stories from neighbors about MOVE makes them sound like a nuisance. Poorly managed composting that drew vermin into the area (and stank), preaching all hours of the day via loudspeaker… letting the whole block burn was a terrible decision, but I can understand not wanting to send officers in to assault a fortified position
They murdered 5 kids.
Ya nowadays we only bomb Arab people’s homes.
That’s just the thing, though - that’s why proportionality is important.
MOVE needed to be evicted. Doing it by a fucking bombing was excessive. Letting the whole fucking block burn was definitely a ACAB moment.
This is very much beside the point, but… what they hell are those separating walls made of? The vast majority of them are still standing when everything else burned and crumbled.
Bricks
Specifically to be a firewall, I’m assuming?
Yeah but they don’t go around the whole perimeter. There’s little to no brickwork in the front of most of these houses. They switch to wood for porches and doors and windows. My grandparent’s owned a row home like the ones you see here. It burned down because some homeless people were using a propane heater in the abandoned house next door. It blew up and half the block almost burned down. If the fire burns long enough to wrap around the walls everything on the inside is done for. You get these hollow husks.
Fun fact if someone want’s to own a house and it’s burning down that wont stop them from buying it. I watched my Mom get into a bidding war as her childhood home burned down. The day of the fire my Mom was actually selling the house. The neighbor who wanted to buy it, who’s own house also suffered fire damage and a law firm who wanted to buy the whole block got wind of the fire and started harassing my Mom as the fire hoses were still pouring water into it. One of the most surreal days of my life.
Yup. But turns out to be bomb proof too.
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