Protesters call for justice
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014
Protests clashed with the tree-lighting ceremony at City Hall HUIZHONG WU Staff Writer
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Protesters marched to City Hall in response to the grand jury’s decision not to indict police officers killed unarmed black men in Ferguson, Mo., and in Staten Island, N.Y.
Protesters marched through the city yesterday evening in response to the decisions not to indict police officers who killed unarmed black men in Ferguson, Mo., and in Staten Island, N.Y. The protest started at 4 p.m. with a “Die In” at 30th Street Station — in which protesters laid down for four and a half minutes in reference to the four and half hours teenager Michael
Brown laid in the street after being shot. The protest culminated in a march to City Hall where protesters remained for the rest of the evening. The protests responded to last week’s grand jury decision in Ferguson, Mo. not to indict Darren Wilson, the police officer who shot 18-year-old Michael Brown. They also resulted from yesterday’s grand jury decision in Staten Island not to indict police officer Daniel Pantaleo, who placed Eric Garner — an unarmed man suspected of illegally selling cigarettes — in a fatal chokehold. “I can’t breathe,” the protesters chanted, echoing Garner’s
last words The protest ended up clashing with a Christmas tree lighting at City Hall, which was planned for 8 p.m. “No justice, no Christmas!” the crowd chanted as they walked around the Christmas tree. There were many moments of anger when Christmas music being blasted on loudspeakers interrupted the protesters. Many yelled, “Shut it down, shut it down,” in response. There were also moments of tension when performers, both young and old, came on stage. Some protestors continued to SEE FERGUSON PAGE 6
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n the mid- to late 1900s, Penn demolished part of West Philadelphia to make way for its vision of an expanded campus. The University displaced residents and bulldozed homes with little regard for the community, which sparked protests from both students and residents. On top of the rubble, hundreds of buildings were constructed to form much of present-day University City. Now when Penn begins a construction project, in a stark contrast from the past, it looks to the community before taking action — holding community meetings and considering the benefits the building can have on the city. In 2003, Penn was encouraged by community members to purchase the mansion at 40th and Pine Streets. In developing the recently-celebrated South Bank property, Penn looked at how redeveloping the former industrial site would contribute to the public good of the city as a whole.
SOPHIA WITTE Staff Writer
SEE DEVELOPMENT PAGE 7
INSIDE
IRINA BIT-BABIK/NEWS PHOTO EDITOR-ELECT
NEWS ‘FREAKONOMICS’ AUTHOR ON ‘THE IMPORTANCE OF QUITTING’ Stephen Dubner told an audience at Wharton to start over and be original PAGE 6
SLAP WANTS PENN TO PAY UP
University addresses past Cosby connections Comedian has often visited campus for annual Penn Relays RILEY STEELE Senior Sports Editor-Elect
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OPINION STARSTRUCK Willingness to excuse celebrities’ violence is detrimental to women PAGE 4
As allegations of sexual assault continue to emerge against Bill Cosby, Penn Athletics has confirmed that no official relationship exists between the University and the Philadelphia comedian. Despite Cosby’s presence at various on-campus sporting events over the past several decades including Penn Relays, Penn does not have any
sort of consistent interaction with the 77-year-old. “As best as I can tell, there is no official relationship between Penn Athletics and Mr. Cosby,” Mike Mahoney, Penn’s director of athletic communications, said in an email. “Obviously, he has been a presence at Relays for many years — missing some years here and there.” Cosby has consistently been a fixture at one of the world’s most renowned track and field events, held every spring at Franklin Field. In addition to serving as an honorary race starter at various editions of Penn Relays in years past, an episode of Cosby’s sitcom “The Cosby Show”
Books, blocks, Burning Man: A Las Vegas preschool
was filmed during the relays in 1986. But the athletic connection between Cosby and the Red and Blue has not BILL COSBY been limited to Relays. Over Homecoming weekend in 2013, Cosby performed a stand-up comedy set at the Palestra following Penn basketball’s season opener against Big 5 rival — and Cosby’s alma mater — Temple.
Replicas of the Eiffel Tower and the New York skyline, dancing fountains, exotic animals and Britney Spears — you can find just about anything on the Las Vegas strip. Travel a couple blocks north, and you’ll find something even more out of the ordinary: a preschool dedicated to teaching
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Wharton grad founded entrepreneurial preschool COREY STERN Staff Writer
SPORTS LIFE AFTER LACROIX
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