Philadelphia protesters rallying over the Minneapolis ICE shooting found a new flashpoint this week: an armed group calling itself the “Black Panther Party for Self-Defense” joining the crowd. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported members carried rifles as they moved through Center City.
The appearance comes as demonstrations escalate nationwide after Renée Nicole Good, 37, was killed in Minneapolis, and as officials argue over who controls key evidence and what the public should believe.
The Inquirer said several members attended the Jan. 8 protest near City Hall, and identified Paul Birdsong, 39, as the group’s “national chairman.” The paper reported the group described itself as a modern resurgence of the 1960s-era organization, while also saying it has run weekly food programs in North Philadelphia…