A Facebook page with two anonymous hosts declared a Mummers New Year’s Day protest against Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney.
Leaders of the Mummers organization said they did not support the protests and told its members to stay home.
“There’s nothing organized. There’s no official parade,” said Same Regalbuto, president of the Philadelphia Mummers String Band Association.
At ten in the morning, groups gathered in the streets of South Philadelphia.
“As a person who has been directly affected by COVID, we urge people to stay home and be safe with their families,” Regalbuto said.
Flyers were circulating south of Philly this week to remind people that the city had canceled the parade due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
About 2,800 people signed and confirmed they would attend the protest.
Michael McGrail was one of those he planned to attend. He is not a member of any Mummers club, but intended to distribute safety kits to those wishing to attend Friday’s unofficial event.
“We’re just going to go down there, prop up and give hands-free disinfectant to everyone,” McGrail said.
The city urges people to stay home and stay safe.
Society Hill Beverage is right in front of where the parade usually ends on Two Street.
“It hurts a little bit because we’re here, and we usually have a lot of business when they’re here,” said Neil Mininger of Society Hill Beverage.
The mayor said they will not break the unofficial event, but if public safety is endangered, police will intervene.
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