On Monday, the Lansdale Borough Police Department issued a press release regarding the arrest of 53-year-old Phillip McCabe, who, as officers attempted to render aid, allegedly used racial slurs directed towards a black female officer who was on scene.
In response to this incident, a solidarity rally has been scheduled for Thursday night to show that the community stands behind the officer, and that such instances of racism will be immediately countered and condemned.
“It is important to support her, because if we do not call out this behavior, those who commit these atrocious acts will continue to think that it’s acceptable… and it is not,” said Melanie Hartnett, a North Penn Class of 2020 graduate and organizer of many of the rallies that have occurred this summer. “While I know as an activist within the black lives matter movement the trauma many members of the black community face at the hands of the police, I also understand that every word I speak, I must stand on. And when I say I will stand up for every black life I see come under attack, I stand on that. Silence is compliance. We have to make a change, and we can’t do so silently.”
During the Aug. 15 incident, police allege that they were attempting to render aid to McCabe, who had fallen out of his chair while intoxicated. McCabe allegedly became aggressive after a medic with the Volunteer Medical Service Corps asked him to put on a mask so they could assist him, at which point he told everyone to “get the f—k out,” police said.
According to the criminal complaint, the first responders exited the house as backup arrived. Police then re-entered the home to determine what should be done with a child who resides at the residence, as police believed that McCabe was too intoxicated to care for the boy. As police attempted to discuss the issue with McCabe, he saw the black female officer in his home and said “You’re a n----r. Get the f—k out n----r,” the report states.
After continuing on with racial slurs, McCabe would later be Tased after becoming aggressive with another officer, police said. Upon being taken into custody and placed into the rear of the black officer’s patrol car, McCabe allegedly said “I’m going to hang you from a f—king tree. You know what that means,” according to the complaint.
“We live in a society that has accepted racism and bigotry for so long, that it has become normal,” said Hartnett. “This man, Phillip McCabe, felt so comfortable in his bigotry that when he looked at this officer, he did not see an officer of the law. He simply saw a black woman and he was not okay with what he saw. Racism has become so socially acceptable that this man thought it was okay for him to verbally assault this woman. Because at the end of the day, to him, he did not see an officer, he saw a black woman and he saw her as lesser than himself, therefore he saw no consequences.”
Hartnett said the solidarity rally will be held at Railroad Plaza beginning at 5 p.m., though she does not know how many people to expect. Previous rallies that Hartnett has organized at the same location have drawn anywhere from a few dozen demonstrators to upwards of several hundred lining West Main Street.
Unlike those rallies, however, there is no online footprint for this rally. Hartnett said that was due to volatility that her initial announcement drew from what she described as “All Lives Matter” and “Blue Lives Matter” people.
“Some people had become so disrespectful toward one another on the initial post announcing protest details, it was actually quite disheartening,” Hartnett said. “The utter disregard for one another was sad. We have to do better.”
See also:
Demonstrations Continue In Lansdale, Another Rally Scheduled For Independence Day
Demonstrators Pack Downtown Lansdale For Rally Against Racial Injustice
Hundreds Attend Juneteenth Solidarity March In Lansdale Early Friday Evening
Demonstrations Against Racial Injustice Held In Lansdale, North Wales And Abington-Lansdale Hospital
Peaceful Rally Draws More Than 1,000 Demonstrators to Souderton
