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A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 29 January 2021
Philadelphia police commissioner defends protest response

By CLAUDIA LAUER ously the police chief. Ken-
Associated Press ney was not at the news
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Phil- conference Thursday but
adelphia’s police com- afterward tweeted his con-
missioner is defending her tinued support for Outlaw.
department and the city’s The report also released
response to days of wide- new alleged details of
spread protests against po- Outlaw’s specific response
lice brutality last summer in gleaned from interviews,
the wake of the police kill- reviews of police commu-
ing of George Floyd in Min- nication and radio traffic.
neapolis in May. The authors said Outlaw
Commissioner Danielle had requested to use tear
Outlaw held a news con- gas in at least one other in-
ference Thursday to answer cident during the protests
harsh criticism of her direct and that she was present
decision-making issued in on an overpass, but not in
a report on the protest re- command, when protest-
sponse. Conducted by two ers made their way onto
independent firms and re- the highway before less-
leased by the city control- than-lethal munition and
ler’s office Wednesday, the gas were deployed.
report has prompted the In this May 30, 2020, file photo, Philadelphia police restrain a man during the Justice for George Outlaw on Thursday coun-
editorial board of the city’s Floyd Philadelphia Protest. Associated Press tered both allegations. She
largest newspaper to call said she could not remem-
for Outlaw’s resignation. hicles and tried clamoring in the last year? Absolutely, becca Rhynhart’s office ber whether she asked to
Critics and protesters have up a steep hill and over a and some. No police com- placed blame directly on deploy tear gas on the
denounced the city’s use fence to escape. missioner (or) superinten- Outlaw and Kenney. first night of the protests,
of tear gas and other less- “There was simply not a dent has ever had to deal The report said Kenney but she does not believe
than-lethal munitions dur- blueprint for what our city with what we dealt with in ceded decision-making on she would have thought it
ing at least three incidents. faced this summer,” Out- the past year,” she added. whether to use tear gas or was warranted for property
In one instance, officers law said of the days of un- Unlike a previous indepen- less-lethal munitions to Out- damage.
fired gas canisters and rest over racial injustice that dent report commissioned law, noting that before she She also said she was not
pepper spray pellets at in some areas devolved by Mayor Jim Kenney’s of- had come to Philadelphia present when tear gas was
protesters who had made into violence, destruction fice that said the city was last February, she had been being fired at the protesters
their way onto Interstate of city and police property largely unprepared for the criticized for using tear gas on the highway, but arrived
676, became trapped by and thefts. unrest, the report commis- to control protests in Port- at the overpass after it had
SWAT and other police ve- “Did I lead this department sioned by Controller Re- land where she was previ- already been used. q

Liquid nitrogen leak at Georgia poultry plant kills 6

in the system here,” Hall they found a large con- spiratory complaints. Hall
County Fire Department Di- tingent of employees that County school officials said
vision Chief Zach Brackett had evacuated, along with students were kept safe in-
said. “We still have a lot of multiple victims that were side a nearby elementary
information we’re trying to in that crowd that were school during the emer-
gather from the scene.” also experiencing medical gency but the leak was
Foundation Food Group emergencies around the contained and not air-
Vice President for Human facility,” Brackett told re- borne. The shelter in place
Resources Nicholas An- porters in a televised news order was lifted Thursday
crum called the leak a briefing. afternoon. About 1.5 miles
tragic accident and said Beth Downs, a spokesper- (2.5 kilometers) of a road
early indications are that a son for Northeast Georgia that runs in front of the plant
nitrogen line ruptured in the Health System, said five and school was closed.
facility. people died at the plant Gainesville is the center of
Emergency personnel gather outside of the Foundation Food When leaked into the air, and one person died in the Georgia’s poultry industry
Group site Thursday, Jan 28, 2021, in Gainesville, Ga., following liquid nitrogen vaporizes emergency room. — the nation’s largest —
a liquid nitrogen leak that killed six people. into an odorless gas that’s Eleven other injured pa- and has thousands of em-
Associated Press capable of displacing oxy- tients were treated for re- ployees working in multiple
JEFF AMY in critical condition. gen. That means leaks in spiratory symptoms at the processing plants.
GAINESVILLE, Ga, (AP) — Poultry plants rely on re- enclosed spaces can be- hospital, including three in The plant was known and
A liquid nitrogen leak at a frigeration systems that come deadly by pushing critical condition, health Prime Pak Foods until Janu-
northeast Georgia poultry can include liquid nitro- away breathable air, ac- system spokesman Sean ary, when it merged into
plant killed six people Thurs- gen. Firefighters, the U.S. cording to the U.S. Chemi- Couch said. He said five Foundation Food Group, a
day, with multiple others Occupational Safety and cal Safety Board. were in fair condition and company that takes raw
taken to the hospital, offi- Health Administration and Workers who had fled the three were treated and re- chicken and processes it
cials said. the state fire marshal were plant were gathered out- leased. into products like chick-
At least three of those investigating the cause of side when firefighters re- At least four firefighters en fingers and individual
injured at the Founda- the leak. sponded to the leak Thurs- were injured and taken chicken cuts for restaurants
tion Food Group plant in “It was a leak of unknown day morning, Bracket said. to the hospital with what and food service opera-
Gainesville were reported cause that has occurred “Once the units arrived, Brackett described as re- tions. q