Surveillance video shows group armed with bats vandalizing West Philadelphia businesses

WEST PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia police say a group of at least 40 people armed with bats vandalized businesses in West Philadelphia Tuesday night. An anti-capitalist group appears to be taking credit for the unrest. 

Masked up and wearing all black, surveillance video captured a person running up to Allegro Pizza and Grill at 40th and Spruce Street.  Video shows another person with a bat swinging away. Employees say they hit their ATM and caused at least $10,000 in damage.

“There’s nothing being accomplished like this. It’s just damaging and hurting the neighborhood,” Louise K, a customer service rep for Allegro Pizza and Grill, told FOX 29.

University of Penn’s Division of Public Safety put out an alert saying around 9:30 p.m., the group marched from Clark Park at 43rd and Baltimore Avenue and headed north of 40th Street, causing damage to multiple businesses. They appeared to hit Clarkville first, smashing open several of the neighborhood pizza shop’s windows.

“I mean I don’t get it, I think it’s senseless. I think if they had any moxie any real conviction they’d do it in broad daylight without wearing a mask,” Brendan Hartranft, sole proprietor of Clarkville, said.

Campus crews cleaned up graffiti Wednesday near 40th and Spruce. Yellow tape surrounded windows to Penn’s Dental School, while workers boarded up a PNC Bank and a building under construction.

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