The task force will look at each of the nearly 1,000 people charged and examine who should be prosecuted, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said during a conference call.
“We have to look very seriously at all the cases that have been brought against civilians, figure out which really represent just peaceful protest and deal with them accordingly,” he said.
Krasner said the committee of assistant district attorneys in the charging unit, the diversion program and special investigations will look at criminal history, economic needs and health before deciding whether they should go through the court system.
“A lot of these cases will be people who have kicked in the window or the door and come out with merchandise at the time they are caught,” Krasner said.
There was no mention of those arrested for assault on law enforcement, which, according to police statistics, 26 people were arrested for.
When asked, a spokeswoman for the DA’s office said they have not had arrests of assault on officers referred to them.
In a statement, U.S. Attorney Bill McSwain said, in part, Krasner “is setting the stage for letting the rioters, looters, burglars and arsonists who rampaged through Philadelphia off the hook. This criminal behavior has nothing to do with peaceful protest. Krasner has never shown any interest in upholding the rule of law and isn’t going to start now.”
Nearly 500 people were arrested for curfew or failure to disperse, which is similar to a parking ticket and is not prosecuted through the courts.