Security Thursday escorted Philadelphia Chinatown activist Debbie Wei from a city council meeting where supporters of the 76er arena formally introduced plans to allow construction to proceed.
It’s unclear what she did to prompt the action.
“Everybody was chanting. Everybody was on their feet,” she said to KYW.
Philly Voice reported the line to get into the meeting stretched into the courtyard an hour before the meeting was to begin and many did not get as the chambers filled to capacity.
With the support of Mayor Cherelle Parker, 11 ordinances were introduced to push forward with the arena plans that many in Chinatown say will squeeze them out and gentrify their neighborhood.
Councilman Mark Squilla who represents Chinatown also introduced two resolutions of his own supporting the 76ers.
“Chinatown has been so rooted in this space but also this community has had to fight so many developers, so many things,” said Cinthya Hioe with Asian Americans United. “We fought off a stadium before.”
Opponents also included registered nurses who fear the traffic the arena will bring will endanger the lives of those who need access to the nearby trauma center as well as Black Philly for Chinatown.
Supporters included union members who say it will bring in thousands of jobs- those are jobs detractors dismiss as largely low wage.
They unfurled banners at the top of the meeting expressing their displeasure and began chanting anti-Arena slogans.
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