Philly keeps a billion-dollar open-air drug market contained in Kensington

The highly successful containment effort in Kensington is systemic racism in action. Those with the power to reinforce this system, including powerful governmental actors, wealthy power brokers, and everyday individuals making seemingly innocuous and small decisions, have used many tools over the years to contain these destructive markets in Kensington, including one dating back to the 1980s using targeted policing that sanctioned sales and use within Kensington — while cracking down heavily on them around its borders, ensuring that the dealing did not spread to other neighborhoods. Police have acknowledged this history in private meetings, but it’s never been officially recognized.

November 11, 2021 | 7:46 pm