Yesterday in The Guardian:

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As a child, Mike Africa was a regular visitor to this row house on the west side of Philadelphia, spending time with his great-aunt and uncle, cousins and friends – all members of Philadelphia’s Black liberation group known as Move. He remembers gathering with the other kids on the roof of 6221 Osage Avenue, eating fruit as the sun went down.

It was on that same roof, 38 years ago on Saturday, that one of the worst incidents in America’s long history of racial atrocities was perpetrated. At 5.27pm on 13 May 1985, a state helicopter commissioned by Philadelphia police flew low over the property and dropped a bomb made of C-4 plastic explosives directly on to it.

The device ignited a fire that turned into an inferno that was then notoriously allowed to burn by Philadelphia authorities intent on driving the Black radical organization out of the city. Eleven people trapped inside the Move house at 6221 Osage Avenue died in the conflagration.
❞

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/12/philadelphia-move-bombing-mike-africa

#MOVEbombing #evil #PoliceDontKeepUsSafe #BlackHistory

The state of Georgia believes it is a felony to say that Jonathan Salcedo murdered a protestor at Cop City. So do not, under any circumstances, say that Jonathan Salcedo is a murderer who murdered a protestor at Cop City.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/13/cop-city-activists-arrests-georgia-law

@jkohlmann The fact that Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are such beloved games despite terrible performance is really a testament to the gameplay.

New York state could soon pass a “child harassment” law that would criminalize annoying people under 18 and taking photographs of them without consent — even in public!

I wrote for City & State about why First Amendment advocates and public defenders oppose the bill: https://www.cityandstateny.com/policy/2023/05/emma-stone-backed-child-harassment-bill-sparks-first-amendment-youth-incarceration-concerns/386308/

NEW: Last week, I got a leaked memo claiming an LASD captain allegedly schemed to avoid promoting an “angry black guy" who had testified about deputy gangs.

Here's my story, and part of the memo that sparked an investigation. #lasd #googlelasdgangs #losangeles https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-04-30/sheriffs-department-investigates-memo-alleging-captain-wouldnt-promote-angry-black-sergeant

Just got back from the Society of Professional Journalists Region 1 Conference, where I was on a panel about the effects AI-based tools may have on journalism. Also got a chance to meet US Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, who told me that he’d like to reform the Supreme Court but Congress doesn’t have the votes to impeach Justice Clarence Thomas.

A favorite writer @petersterne on Alvin Bragg

https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2023/04/why-wont-daasny-defend-alvin-bragg/384948/

I'm not sure how many of my followers live in New York or pay close attention to NY state politics, but everyone can enter City & State NY's 2023 state budget pool. Just guess the exact date and time that the New York state Legislature will finally pass its budget – which was technically due last Friday but still isn't done yet. https://www.cityandstateny.com/personality/2023/03/guess-when-new-york-will-have-budget-some-sweet-csny-swag/384701/

New York state Senator Julia Salazar and Assembly Member Latrice Walker have written a powerful op-ed defending the state's bail reform law. https://www.cityandstateny.com/opinion/2023/03/opinion-safety-means-investments-not-oppression/384505/

The staff of the @TexasObserver have set up a GoFundMe to ask for help after the board voted to shutter the magazine. Please give if you can’t and share even if you can’t. https://www.gofundme.com/f/laid-off-texas-observer-journalists-and-staff

Here's a 10-toot thread on the background and history of the bail reform debate in New York state: https://mastodon.social/@petersterne/110098603591752224