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Heard in the Hall

Councilman on Tasergate: Suburbanites making city look bad

Philadelphia City Hall and political coverage from the Philadelphia Inquirer City Hall bureau.

172 comments

Councilman on Tasergate: Suburbanites making city look bad

POSTED: Tuesday, May 4, 2010, 1:03 PM

Jeff Shields

Mayor Nutter is standing by the police officer who Tasered the teen-ager trespassing in center field at Monday night's Phillies game, but it was South Philadelphia City Councilman Jim Kenney on Tuesday who had the strongest words yet for the behavior that precipitated the incident.

Mayoral spokesman Doug Oliver said Nutter "fully supports" Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, who defended the police officer who used a Taser gun to stun and subdue 17-year-old Steve Consalvi of Boyertown, in Berks County. "He strongly discourages fans from running on the field during the game, or without permission," said Oliver. Nutter is at a meeting in Washington, D.C., and could not be reached immediately for comment.

Kenney defended not just the police but also city sports fans, and complained that suburbanites were giving the city a bad rap.

"It seems to me that people from the suburbs think, when they come into the city, they can act like idiots," said Kenney, who is meeting with police and team officials next week about security policies at the stadiums. "A lot of them come in and disrespect Philadelphia, then complain how bad Philadelphia is."

Kenney noted that neither Monday's episode nor the infamous "Pukeymon" incident last month -- in which 21-year-old Matthew Clemmens of Cherry Hill allegedly purposefully vomited on an 11-year-old girl at a Phillies game -- involved a Philadelphian.

Kenney praised the Phillies for their efforts to control unruly fans, including ejecting three "drunken idiots" who sat behind him a Phillies-Dodgers playoff game in October and chanted "F-- You, Manny."

Kenney wants anyone escorted out of the sports facilities to face, arrest, prosecution, a fine and/or community service. He was a backer of the famous "Eagles Court" presided over by now-Supreme Court Justice Seamus McCaffery, and suggested that a police wagon* should be stationed outside each game, if necessary, to take unruly fans away.

"I do think it does damage further the reputation of this town and its sports fans.," Kenney said. Kenney said while the use of a stun-gun appears "shocking," it was also hazardous for police officers to have to chase and/or wrestle people tot he ground. "Anything can happen when you have to physically subdue someone. The bottom line: no one has an issue if the goofball doesn’t run on the field."

"You can’t just allow them just go home or go to the next bar and brag about how fun it was to get thrown out of the stadium," Kenney said.

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*NOTE: The author of this blog post may have slurred his own Irish ancestry in the original version by using the term "paddy wagon." While the origin of the term is disputed -- either referrding to the Irish "Paddies" thrown into the wagon, or the Irish policemen doing the throwing -- we get that it can be offensive. Kenney did not use this term.

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172 comments

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Comments (172)

1 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:20 PM, 05/04/2010

Things like DROP and our useless City Council are what make this city look bad.

— thetalkingmule

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:22 PM, 05/04/2010

Agreed---The Phillies are trying very hard to enjoy and share their success---The drunken idiots from broken homes and stupid parents are giving the good Philly fans a bad name---I back David Montgomery and the organization 100%

— will_wonders_never_cease

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:23 PM, 05/04/2010

Just one paddy wagon? That thing will be running like a shuttle service back and forth to the Roundhouse.

— Philly Ray

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:24 PM, 05/04/2010

I guess it is suburbanites coming into Philly and shooting up the place too?

— RodeoJones

Comment removed.

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:29 PM, 05/04/2010

excellent point Rubberhead. The city has a lot of other things to worry about. The kid got what he deserved, jailed, fines. Its over. Solve the cities other problems...

— seantownsend

Comment removed.

Comment removed.

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:31 PM, 05/04/2010

What this kid did was stupid and he should be punished just like all the other idiots who run on the field. However aren't the police and security trained well enough to catch a 5'9 150lb 17 year old kid without a taser? He's basically running around in a closed field. It seems a little excessive to me.

— crkreg

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:34 PM, 05/04/2010

You're kidding me right? Just another brainless comment from our wonderful city council. I'm on board with what the guy had to do last night, but take a reality check and figure out where this city would be without the wage taxes and the spend that comes from the suburbs. What a stupid comment. People that live in the city definitely never do anything wrong! HA!

— tgk111

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:34 PM, 05/04/2010

ha if it was for the 'suburbanites' being able to afford the tickets, no one would be at the games!

— smarterthanyou

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:37 PM, 05/04/2010

Hey Councilman, why shouldn't suburbanites think it's OK to come to the city and act like idiots? Where do you think they get the idea? Actual city residents offer so many examples of idiotic behavior, too numerous to list here. Not to mention political corruption, DROP, and a do-nothing city council.

— nephillygirl

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:40 PM, 05/04/2010

Kenny's kidding, right? We suburbanites make the city look bad? He cant really be that dumb; can he? Are we also responsible for the rotted out shells that were once north, west, and southwest philadelphia? There is a saying..."nice place to visit, but wouldnt want to live there". Philadelphia doesnt even match up to that standard.

— tdoc