Mayoral candidate Cherelle Parker said those behind break-ins and vandalism ‘should be held accountable’

Democratic mayoral nominee Cherelle Parker on Wednesday condemned the large groups of young people who broke into and stole from stores across the city Tuesday night.

But she stressed that she did not view them as a reflection on the protesters and mourners who had gathered earlier in the evening to decry the dismissal of criminal charges against former Philadelphia Police Officer Mark Dial, who last month shot and killed Eddie Irizarry.

“When I heard about peaceful accounts of the family and friends getting together and gathering together to lift each other up during this difficult time, the key word that I constantly heard was peaceful. That meant the world to me,” Parker said. “I don’t want us to equate the ability to peacefully assemble and protest anything that you desire to do so ― that should never be questioned — but those who sought to use this as an opportunity to commit crimes in our city, they should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

Parker faces Republican David Oh in the Nov. 7 general election, and is all but guaranteed to become Philadelphia’s next mayor because of the city’s overwhelmingly Democratic electorate.

In a statement, Oh said: “Peaceful protest is a constitutional right. Looting is a crime. As mayor, I will ensure that police are fully deployed to prevent criminal violations before they occur and that all laws are strictly enforced.”

Parker shared her reaction to Tuesday night’s event during an interview at her campaign headquarters. Situations such as the shooting of Irizarry, she said, show why choosing the next permanent police commissioner is “by far the most important decision that the next mayor of the city will make.”

The next commissioner, she said, will “have to work on police accountability,” and she’s looking for “a leader who understands the importance of cultural competency, emotional intelligence, and quite frankly one with the courage to make tough decisions when necessary that will not be accepted and/or welcomed by some people.”

Parker also emphasized the need to protect businesses in the city. She noted that about 40% of the city’s revenue comes from the wage tax and the business income and receipts tax, and said hurting businesses indirectly diminishes the strength of public services for all residents.

“You can’t just do what you want to do to businesses in our city and not expect to be held accountable,” Parker said. “You want me to tell you why? Because you are impacting our ability to serve some of the most vulnerable people and communities in our city that need help.”

(The city collects wage tax payments from businesses after they withhold the money from their employees’ paychecks. The tax is ultimately borne by workers.)

Parker has run on a tough-on-crime platform, calling for more police officers and embracing the controversial policing tactic known as stop-and-frisk. On Wednesday, she reiterated her belief that the need for police accountability should not conflict with the goal of improving public safety.

“We have to make sure that we bring some order back to our city,” she said. “People in every neighborhood deserve to feel safe.”