Looting Chaos in Philadelphia, USA...Trump's Last-Minute Comeback Card Emerges (Comprehensive)

Two Consecutive Days of Looting After Black Shooting Death
Major Swing State Emerges as Key Variable in Presidential Election
Trump: "Biden Supports Looters"
Biden: "Looting and Violence Are Inexcusable"

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The looting chaos in Philadelphia, triggered by the shooting of a Black man, is emerging as a last-minute variable in the U.S. presidential election just five days away. As Pennsylvania, where Philadelphia is located, has become a key battleground state that will decide the outcome of this election, the ongoing looting is interpreted by some as potentially benefiting President Donald Trump, who emphasizes 'law and order.' There are also concerns that the turmoil could continue after the election, leading to the emergence of armed groups disputing the election results.

Philadelphia Walmart looting scene (Twitter capture)

According to the New York Times (NYT) and others on the 28th (local time), rough protests and looting followed after Walter Wallace Jr., a Black youth wielding a knife, was shot dead by police on the 26th in Philadelphia. A video capturing the incident spread on the internet, sparking protests that later turned into looting. On the 27th, the Walmart superstore was looted, and Korean stores in Philadelphia also suffered damages. The NYT expressed concern, stating, "The shooting and its aftermath are raising tensions again in an already divided country."

The side welcoming this is President Trump. The White House immediately issued a statement calling it "a war by free Democrats against public authority," and as the looting continued, President Trump claimed that the Democrats were inciting it. On the 28th (local time), during a campaign visit to Las Vegas, Nevada, he said, "The police officer who shot the Black man is under investigation," and added, "We must stop the riots in Philadelphia. Those who looted are being supported by Joe Biden." He further emphasized, "Joe only talks but does not take action. You must take action." President Trump defended the police, stating, "I know the Philadelphia police well. The police were ordered to stand down." This underscored that Philadelphia's mayor is a Democrat.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden criticized President Trump. After early voting in Wilmington, Delaware, he stated, "There is no excuse for looting and violence," and criticized, "The president is fueling division and failing to resolve the situation."

Attention is focused on the impact this will have on the election. Pennsylvania has 20 electoral votes, the second most in battleground states after Florida. It inevitably becomes a crucial variable in the presidential election outcome. Both President Trump and Biden are concentrating their efforts in this region to secure victory. This is why President Trump persistently attacks the Democrats regarding the looting. On the 26th, he held his third rally in this area, and on the 27th, his wife, Melania, held her first rally here. Biden, too, has campaigned in his hometown region and planned a support speech by former President Barack Obama to secure victory.

According to RealClearPolitics, Biden leads President Trump by 3.8 percentage points in this area. In mid-month, their gap was as wide as 7%, but President Trump has been aggressively campaigning and closing the gap. However, there are also forecasts that this incident will not significantly affect the overall trend. The NYT commented, "Many people have already voted early, and even those voting on election day are likely to vote for the candidate they have already decided on." Biden plans to intensify his efforts in battleground states by simultaneously campaigning in Michigan, another battleground state, with former President Obama over the coming weekend.

Meanwhile, on the same day, the think tank Crisis Group issued a report titled "U.S. Election: Managing the Risk of Violence," warning that armed groups supporting President Trump are expected to interfere with voting and vote counting processes, urging election authorities to be vigilant. It also advised the media and foreign governments to be cautious about prematurely recognizing the winner of this election.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.