Today, the Philadelphia Eagles will celebrate their Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
The city is holding a parade that is expected to have over a million people in attendance. It will start from their practice facility, extend to Philadelphia’s Center City area, and conclude at the city’s famous Art Museum steps (made famous by Sylvester Stallone portraying the fictional boxer Rocky Balboa). As someone born and raised in the city, and who still resides in the area, it is an event that will be a joyous occasion for all — a stark contrast to the chaos from the night the team won Super Bowl LIX.
Scenes from Philadelphia’s celebration on the night of the Super Bowl could easily be mistaken for footage of some riots throughout the country over the last few years. There were reports of people tearing down traffic poles, fighting with police officers, assaulting medics, and looting stores. Six people were arrested in the city for assaulting police officers, reported WPVI, an ABC affiliate in Philadelphia. There were 29 people charged with disorderly conduct, and eight people arrested for vandalism.
Of course, the city has had more destructive riots in recent years. But unlike those, these incidents happened due to acts of supposed jubilation. Moreover, spectators often viewed these hooligans and their acts with smiles and laughter, a sad commentary of a societal acceptance of destruction caused by celebrating sports victories. Many people watched, amused, as some revelers in the City of Brotherly Love caused havoc in their celebratory festivities. Yet, despite the difference in motives, any person who riots, loots, causes harm or commits any act of violence should be treated the same.
In the summer of 2020, the nation was plagued with riots from radical and violent left-wing activist groups such as Black Lives Matter and Antifa. That year, Americans saw hundreds of people riot, loot, destroy, and attack innocent people and police officers, supposedly because doing so was justified as some kind of response to George Floyd’s death in May 2021. The chaos and destruction swept the country, and many communities were ravaged and devastated, and people wanted accountability.
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However, rioting is rioting, and crime is crime. This holds true whether it is because one is part of a radicalized, dangerous, left-wing activist group such as BLM or Antifa or one is being rowdy and unruly while celebrating a Super Bowl victory. It never made sense for people to seek to destroy property, hurt others, or commit crimes when their favorite team won a championship. It’s a sad and abhorrent tradition that predates Philadelphia’s mayhem. Nevertheless, it is time for such antics to stop.
There is no need for violence or destruction when celebrating. It’s time society moved past such spectacles. Law enforcement should hold those who engage in such foolishness accountable. People should not celebrate, support, or dismiss these acts with laughter.
Massachusetts high school sports takeaways for Feb. 14, 2025
