Looting Livestream Sparks Accusations of Racism
A Philadelphia looter, known as “Meatball,” who live-streamed herself during a recent spree, has been defended by her lawyer, Jessica Mann. Dayjia Blackwell, 21, gained notoriety for recording and following a mob of looters as they broke into several stores, including an Apple store and a Lululemon. She broadcasted the incident to her 181,000 Instagram followers, resulting in her arrest for encouraging the illegal activity.
Mann criticized the media’s portrayal of her client, decrying it as an attack on black and brown individuals. She accused the police of using a mugshot that depicted Blackwell with tears and disheveled hair to attract more clicks and sensationalize the story.
Mann asserted that the real story is about Blackwell capturing the raw reality of public outrage on the night of September 26, 2023, in Philadelphia. This public outrage was driven by the dismissal of charges against Police Officer Mark Dial, who had been involved in the fatal shooting of Eddie Irizarry. According to Mann, the Philadelphia Police Department attempted to cover up the incident with falsehoods.
During her live stream, Blackwell is heard cheering on the crowd. The stream ends with her apparent arrest by Philadelphia police.
Following her arrest, Blackwell was charged with six felonies and arraigned with a $25,000 bail, according to FOX 29 Philadelphia.
The looting spree saw six businesses in a North Philadelphia retail corridor being targeted, including three pharmacies, a hair salon, a tax preparation company, and a cellphone store. This incident occurred in the wake of a peaceful protest against a judge’s decision to dismiss murder and other charges against a police officer who fatally shot Eddie Irizarry through a rolled-up car window.
The aftermath of the looting left a trail of destruction, with mannequins and sneakers scattered in a sporting goods store, phones and accessories toppled in an Apple Store and a T-Mobile store, and several businesses with shattered windows and damaged door gates.
Over 50 arrests were made, including a burglary suspect who was out on bail for a prior murder case.