Despite falling in line with the Black Lives Matter message over the summer, rioters in Philadelphia destroyed a local Chick-fil-A this week during violent demonstrations following the death of a black man fatally shot by police after he reportedly approached officers with a knife and repeatedly refused to obey their instructions.
Journalist Julio Rosas, known for covering violent BLM clashes in major cities around the country, first reported looters smashed the windows of the franchise location, where they broke into the cash registers and destroyed other restaurant property.
During an appearance Tuesday night on Fox News, Rosas told host Laura Ingraham he hasn’t “seen anything like this on this scale since Minneapolis back in May,” referring to this week’s riots in Philadelphia.
At least 30 police officers were injured by angry Black Lives Matter rioters during the first night of violent protests in the City of Brotherly Love. Numerous businesses have been looted, ransacked, and destroyed by demonstrators.
As the violence is expected to continue, the Philadelphia Police Department is asking residents to remain indoors. Over the course of the last two nights, rioters have thrown bricks at police officers, completely dismantled privately owned establishments, and stolen an incalculable number of products.
What else?
In June, following the police-involved killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy seemed to embrace the view that the U.S. is fundamentally flawed by systemic racism.
“I also recognize that talking about the systemic inequality, bias, and injustices in our country will draw criticism,” Cathy said. “But neither of these reasons makes it OK for me to remain silent about the issues that now so publicly confront our nation. The killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and many others is horrifying and merits our outrage. We should also address the disparate impact of COVID-19 on black and brown communities, as well as the disparity in educational opportunities and access to opportunity. Nobody talks about it enough, because this is someone else’s problem. I have observed injustice, inequities and blatant indifference to these real problems.”
“There are countless academics and analysts who have written about how our democratic capitalism benefits only a few hundred incredibly wealthy families, individuals and corporations, so that the American dream is now reserved almost exclusively for them and their descendants,” he continued. “Because I am among that demographic, I am calling on them — us — to use our power and influence.”
In November of last year, Chick-fil-A announced it would no longer partner with the beloved American charity Salvation Army. Instead, the Christian-owned restaurant chain redistributed its money toward smaller organizations focused on “education, homelessness, and hunger.”
The decision to halt its donations to the Salvation Army seemed catalyzed by backlash from some in the LGBT community who have for years bemoaned Chick-fil-A for giving money to charities and organizations that hold to a biblical view of marriage as a union between one man and one woman. Around the same time, pop singer Ellie Goulding claimed the Salvation Army is anti-LGBT and withdrew her participation in the NFL’s Thanksgiving Day game, as its proceeds benefitted the 155-year-old charity.
The Salvation Army responded to the left’s attacks, stating they help anyone in need, regardless of his or her sexual orientation.
“When misinformation is perpetuated without fact, our ability to serve those in need, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, religion or any other factor, is at risk,” read a statement from the charity. “We urge the public to seek the truth before rushing to ill-informed judgment and greatly appreciate those partners and donors who ensure that anyone who needs our help feels safe and comfortable to come through our doors.”
The Black Lives Matter movement — in addition to its views on race — is dedicated to “disrupt[ing] the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure” and “foster[ing] a queer-affirming network” by “freeing ourselves from the tight grip of heteronormative thinking, or rather, the belief that all in the world are heterosexual.”