Police in cat and mouse game with flash mobbers

There was a heavy police presence on South Street this weekend, and no flash mobs. One week earlier hundreds of teenagers flooded the area and assaulted by standers and damaged stores. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has taken a zero tolerance policy on rioting by large mobs of teens.

There was a heavy police presence on South Street this weekend, and no flash mobs. One week earlier hundreds of teenagers flooded the area and assaulted by standers and damaged stores. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has taken a zero tolerance policy on rioting by large mobs of teens.

But former city Prison Commissioner  Commissioner Leon King says  Nutter’s tough approach, still does nothing to address the deeper problem.

“Okay he’s now sent the police to South Street […] But if there are underlying issues that are causing these kids to behave that way the fact that the police are on South Street just means the kids won’t come back to South Street,” King said. “They’ll still engage in behavior that’s destructive to the community.”

King made his comments today at panel discussion on youth violence sponsored by Congressman Joe Sestak.

Some of the panel members, said they believed an archaic education system and failing communities are partly to blame for the mob attacks.