The leader of aPhiladelphiagroup known for Black Panther-style community patrols wasarrested last week after police accused him of carrying a concealed firearm without a license in Chester, per police records obtained by Axios.
Why it matters: The arrest could complicate Paul Birdsong’s legal fight with Philadelphia over the revocation of his gun license, which is unfolding as the Department of Justice investigates the city’s gun licensing practices.
Driving the news: The Black Lion Party for International Solidarity leader was arrested last week after police say he was carrying two handguns — one of them partially concealed in his pants pocket — while walking through downtown Chester, per a criminal complaint obtained by Axios.
- Birdsong, 39, is charged with carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, a third-degree felony, resisting arrest and two counts of disorderly conduct.
- He remained in custody on $75,000 bail as of Wednesday afternoon.
Catch up quick: Philadelphia police revoked Birdsong’s gun license earlier this year, citing “good cause,” following a Jan. 31 encounter with an officer in North Philadelphia that a department leader said showed he posed “an unreasonable danger to the public.”
- Birdsong’s attorney is challenging that decision.
- Weeks after Axios first reported on his case,the Department of Justice launched a civil rights investigation into the lawfulness of Philadelphia police’s gun licensing practices.
Between the lines: In Pennsylvania, people generally don’t need a license to openly carry a firearm, but they do need one to carry a concealed firearm…