Man, 26, stabbed at homeless encampment on Parkway

A man was stabbed at a homeless encampment Sunday evening on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, leading police to an area organizers want sanctioned by the city as a “no police zone.”

The victim, described as a 26-year-old Black man, was stabbed multiple times during a fight and police were called about 5:15 p.m. It was not immediately clear if the victim was a member of the encampment.

The victim was taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. His condition was unknown and no arrests had been made.

No further details were available.

More than 100 people are living at the encampment, which sprang up during protests after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and is similar to a larger encampment in Seattle. Members are protesting for low-income housing and have presented a list of demands to the city on housing expectations.

The organizers have also demanded that the Philadelphia Police Department disarm its officers; that the city transfer ownership of the Philadelphia Housing Authority to a “permanent community land trust” for low-income housing set up by one of the groups; that the city repeal all ordinances against camping on streets; and that the city support putting up tiny houses for the homeless.

Recently, a leading advocate for the homeless declared the encampment “a pandemic waiting to happen,” and condemned it last week as an “irresponsible” and “stupid” act in the time of COVID-19. She later apologized for her statements.