Scores of teenagers in Philadelphia, a
city with a history of especially brutal police violence and racism,
have been arrested since a curfew went into effect Aug. 13. Anyone in
the two “special enforcement areas” under the age of 18 must be
home by 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.
The curfew was prompted primarily by a
wave of “flash mobs,” impromptu mass gatherings at public
locations. Although not explicitly political, they are especially
popular among young people of color who challenge de facto
segregation by assembling in upscale neighborhoods.
The curfew is just another measure in a
broader effort to demonize and criminalize an entire generation of
Black and Latino youth, reinforcing the racist oppression that is a
pillar of the capitalist system. The fact that Philadelphia Mayor
Michael Nutter is Black does not change the character of this policy.
Working-class youth should stand united against the curfew and other
draconian measures aimed at restricting our rights.
