On this day May 13, 1985, a confrontation between the City of Philadelphia and the Black liberation group MOVE ended in tragedy when police dropped an explosive device on the group’s row house, sparking a fire that killed 11 people, including 6 adults and 5 children. The bombing, intended to end a standoff, caused a massive blaze that destroyed over 60 homes and left 250 people homeless in the predominantly Black neighborhood of Cobbs Creek.
The standoff had escalated over years of tension between the city and MOVE, who had previously protested against racism, police brutality and unsanitary conditions around their building, including frequent piles of trash. Residents and officials had long criticized the group’s unconventional lifestyle and public messaging, but the decision to drop a bomb from a police helicopter drew national outrage and condemnation.
Despite efforts by the fire department to contain the blaze, city officials allowed the fire to burn unchecked for over an hour, leading to widespread destruction. The MOVE bombing remains one of the most controversial uses of force by law enforcement in American history.
Fun fact: The city of Philadelphia did not formally apologize for the bombing until 2020, 35 years after the incident.
The standoff had escalated over years of tension between the city and MOVE, who had previously protested against racism, police brutality and unsanitary conditions around their building, including frequent piles of trash. Residents and officials had long criticized the group’s unconventional lifestyle and public messaging, but the decision to drop a bomb from a police helicopter drew national outrage and condemnation.
Despite efforts by the fire department to contain the blaze, city officials allowed the fire to burn unchecked for over an hour, leading to widespread destruction. The MOVE bombing remains one of the most controversial uses of force by law enforcement in American history.
Fun fact: The city of Philadelphia did not formally apologize for the bombing until 2020, 35 years after the incident.
