To: Anna C. Verna, Councilwoman, Blondell Reynolds Brown, Councilwoman, Donna Miller, Councilwoman, and Bill Green, Councilman
Stop Philadelphia Curfew
Dear Council President Anna C. Verna and bill sponsors,
I believe that the City Council's bill 110633 is an attack on the full rights and citizenship of Philadelphia's adults and youth. Imprisoning a child for staying out too late is clearly a miscarriage of justice, as is fining a low-income parent $500 for such a small offense.
Philadelphia policies like “Stop and Frisk” have already been shown to target African-Americans, with them making up 75% of the people detained in this law with only 8% resulting in arrests. I have no doubt that the curfew law will similarly lead to the discriminatory detainment and incarceration of poor kids of color and their parents.
Let's really make Philly the City of Brother Love and Sisterly Affection. Please stop this unjust law.
Thank you!
Why is this important?
Philadelphia's City Council seems set on passing an outrageous curfew law that violates a number of civil liberties -- this law aims to keep African-American youth out of more affluent white neighborhoods, further expands the mayor's ability to avoid the democratic process and create his own laws, and makes it illegal for all adults to take young relatives such as nieces or nephews out to enjoy the City of Brotherly Love. We believe that no citizen should fear the police harassment or detainment of innocent children. We're calling on the City Council to stop the expansion of the curfew through Bill 110633 and end the attacks on Philadelphia's future.