Philadelphia police inspector applauded by officers as he surrenders for alleged assault of protestor
A Philadelphia police officer accused of multiple aggressions with protesters is celebrated by his colleagues after being charged
When a Philadelphia police officer turned himself in on aggravated assault charges related to beating a student protester that was caught on camera, he was met by dozens of his brothers in blue who applauded and saluted him.
READ MORE: As Black Philadelphia protests injustice, I’m reclaiming my power
Viral video of the moment shows Staff Inspector Joseph Bologna, 54, leaving the headquarters of Philadelphia’s Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 on Monday to surrender to the police. Several officers and supporters are seen gathered outside cheering for him as he walks past them, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
A spokesperson for FOP Lodge 5 told BuzzFeed News that there were “several hundred active police officers, retirees, and other supporters at FOP in support of Inspector Bologna.”
Civil rights activist Shaun King shared the clip on his Twitter timeline and noted of the police officers cheering for Bologna, “Brutality is heroic to them. They don’t even hide it,” King wrote.
Here is the exact moment where Philadelphia Police Officer Joe Bologna assaults this defenseless protestor.
It’s awful. Could’ve killed them.
Cracked them in the skull with this weapon at full power. Hospitalized them. pic.twitter.com/NjEkjSQivW
— Shaun King (@shaunking) June 8, 2020
Last week, Bologna was captured on camera using his metal police baton to assault 21-year-old Temple University student Evan Gorski during a protest against police brutality. Bologna cracked the victim over the head with the weapon several times in an act caught on video.
According to Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, Gorski suffered “serious bodily injury,” including a gaping head wound that required nearly a dozen staples and sutures.
“This is a very sad day for the Philadelphia Police department as one of our most decorated officers was formally arraigned on felony assault charges for doing his job, trying to keep our great city safe during recent unrest,” the union said in a statement Monday.
“Just shows the support he has and how he’s being railroaded,” FOP Lodge 5 President John McNesby told 6ABC.
3. Here is the Philadelphia Police Union, the local FOP, APPLAUDING and CHEERING Officer Joe Bologna — who was charged with the brutal assault of a protestor.
His fellow officers see him as a hero. A martyr.
Brutality is heroic to them. They don’t even hide it. pic.twitter.com/nXEMvsHBfT
— Shaun King (@shaunking) June 8, 2020
Bologna has been slapped with charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, possession of an instrument of crime, and recklessly endangering another person, the report states.
“We have to do what we can … to make sure that putting him out there does not become a flash point and showing that I am true — we are true — to our word in ensuring accountability,” Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw, the newly appointed Black, female police chief told reporters in a press conference after Bologna was removed from duty.
The FOP has vowed to “vigorously defend” Bologna against “these baseless allegations.”
“He was engaged in a volatile and chaotic situation with only milliseconds to make a decision,” the union said in a statement.
The union is also selling T-shirts that read “Bologna Strong.”
READ MORE: Why Philadelphia’s George Floyd protests popped differently
However, Bologna has been videotaped roughing up other protesters, including another protester Cayley Cohan who he tackled, another of him lunging at a TV reporter, grabbing a woman who had grabbed his bike tire and hitting a security guard.
He was also accused of misconduct during his 31-year career on the force, according to the Inquirer. They report that in 2014 and 2015, officers he supervised in his narcotics field unit had 25 civilian complaints and were accused of 37 department violations including physical abuse, vandalism, threats and more.
(Photo: Screenshot via @Shaun King Twitter)
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