Warning: This story contains graphic images.
With addiction and crime so rampant in the Philadelphia area, a new bill would impose a curfew on some stores in Kensington's open-air drug market.
City Councilman Quesi Lozada introduced a bill Thursday that would require some businesses and restaurants in certain areas of the Kensington neighborhood, including the infamous Kensington Avenue, to close from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. . The proposal is one of the latest to address problems in the Kensington area, which has become the epicenter of the city's drug crisis.
Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood, known for its open-air drug markets, has received international attention for its extreme public drug use. (Fox News/Megan Myers)
“Addressing the crisis in Kensington requires a deeper understanding of who is there and what is happening,” Lozada, whose district includes Kensington, said in a press release.
Kensington, internationally known for its excessive public drug use, has one of the highest rates of overdose deaths in Philadelphia, according to data from the city's health department.Over 1,400 people throughout the city died from drug overdose In 2022, it increased by 11% from the previous year, which was the highest on record.
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Every day, drug users can be seen strewn on the sidewalks, their arms bleeding as they inject themselves. Or someone stumbles down Kensington Street or passes out on the sidewalk, dazed as fleas cover gruesome wounds caused by the addictive animal tranquilizer xylazine ravaging their flesh.
Drug users gather on the streets of Kensington Avenue. Some people inject themselves with needles, causing one user to bend forward and fall. (Fox News/Megan Myers)
The area is also a hot spot for crime and poverty in the City of Brotherly Love. In the 30 days ending January 26, Kensington had one of the worst rates of violent crime and drug crime in the city, according to data compiled by the city. philadelphia inquirer.
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Philadelphia Mayor Sherrell Parker said, “I strongly commend Councilman Quesi Lozada's legislation and look forward to working with her as these bills move through the City Council's legislative process.” Stated. statement on Thursday. “The purpose of the introduced legislation is to address social ills such as open-air drug markets, illegal drug activity and nuisance businesses that undermine the quality of life in neighborhoods across the city, including Kensington.”
Garbage accumulates along Kensington Avenue. A drug user lies outside a storefront with a needle in his hand. (Fox News/Megan Myers)
Lozada's bill follows an executive order signed by Parker on Jan. 2, the Democrat's first law in office, that provides public assistance to curb the rampant crime and excessive drug addiction plaguing the city's neighborhoods. A safety emergency has been declared. She also tasked Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel and her city partners with developing a strategy to dismantle open-air drug markets like Kensington as part of a “100-day action plan.”
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Additionally, Bethel on January 11 sworn in Deputy Chief Pedro Rosario to lead the Philadelphia Police Department's public safety approach in Kensington.
“For too long, Kensington has carried the scars of drugs and disease,” Bethel said. stated in a statement. “It is our responsibility to turn the tide, and I am pleased to announce the creation of a new position within the Department, Deputy Director for the Kensington Initiative, to lead this effort.”
On a gloomy summer afternoon in Kensington's open-air drug den:
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According to reports, Lozada's bill would include a series of quarterly reports requiring the Parker administration on how often the city's first responders use opioid antidotes and whether individuals received treatment more than once in a 30-day period. It was part of the bill. release. Another bill would require data on the number of illegal encampments citywide.
“Throughout my first few weeks in office, I have made it clear that the Parker Administration will not tolerate rampant illegal drug activity and other quality-of-life issues in Kensington,” the mayor said in a statement. “And we look forward to working on this important bill with our strong partners on the City Council, including Congressman Lozada.”
