Justice for Spence – End stop-and-frisk
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Philadelphia The family and friends of Alexander "Spence" Spencer, along with dozens of concerned community members, demonstrated on Feb. 10 outside the Jennifer Tavern beer deli in North Philadelphia, where police shot and killed Spencer Jan. 26.  Affectionately called Spence by his family, the

Several speakers addressed the history of police violence in Philadelphia. Just over five months ago, on Aug. 31, 2023, the community was protesting the murder of Eddie Irizarry, Jr, a 27-year-old Puerto Rican man, shot to death by police officer Mark Dial on Aug. 14. Irizarry was sitting in his parked car with the windows up when Dial got out of his police car and, five seconds later, fired six shots, killing Irizarry — whose only “weapon” was a 3-inch pocketknife.

Both Dial and the two officers involved in killing Spencer are part of a police precinct that includes the 24th and 25th Police Districts. Like the earlier marches for Irizarry, the protest calling for justice for Spencer ended up at that precinct. Spencer family members and others confronted the officers gathered outside, as speakers reminded the crowd that it was “the power of the people” that put Dial in jail.

Dial is currently awaiting trial on seven charges, including murder. Efforts by the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) to get a judge to drop the charges were met with community resistance.