China Daily Global Edition (USA)
Philly recovers from wild Super Bowl celebration
Philadelphia was cleaning up Monday after pockets of Super Bowl victory celebrations turned unruly overnight, with rowdy Eagles fans smashing department store windows, looting a gas station convenience store and toppling a number of the city’s famously greased light poles.
The vast majority of revelers celebrated peacefully, and police made only three arrests, said Ajeenah Amir, a spokeswoman for Mayor Jim Kenney.
“Tens of thousands came out and celebrated this amazing victory, and but for a handful of bad actors, the celebration was peaceful and jubilant,” Amir said. She lauded police for “their assistance in getting the crowds dispersed and people home safely”.
The victory parade is set for Thursday, and along the parade route, revelers can expect free Bud Light beer at 25 bars, thanks to a bet the brewer made with Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson.
Just as Nick Foles and the Eagles clinched a 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots in Minneapolis for the team’s first Super Bowl title Sunday night, the scene more than 1,000 miles away in Philly was jubilation and pandemonium.
As time expired, crowds spilled into the streets to celebrate the Eagles’ first NFL championship since 1960.
Revelers shot off fireworks, drivers beeped their horns and Philadelphians young and old descended on Broad Street, the main thoroughfare that last hosted a major championship parade in 2008 for the Phillies’ World Series win.
“The city deserved it,” said 66-year-old Lou Potel, who threw a party at his home just off Broad before joining a much bigger party outside. “It’s a great city, and now we have a Super Bowl to go along with it.”
The team was expected to arrive at Philadelphia International Airport on Monday afternoon.
Some of the pockets of unruly fans clambered atop the awning at the swanky Ritz Carlton Hotel near City Hall, jumping off into the crowd in what one Twitter post called “Ritz Carlton Skydiving.” The awning later collapsed with a large group of people on top of it. It’s not clear if anyone was injured.