“It was really traumatic for me. I never thought I would be in this situation. I just want to thank everyone who has been there for me,” Dayjia Blackwell, also known as “Meatball,” said on her Instagram story. The Philadelphia social media influencer, with almost 200,000 followers, was recently arrested for her involvement in the looting that took place in the city on Tuesday night.
Blackwell, who streamed the night of chaos and destruction to her followers, expressed her fear and trauma after being arrested. “I’ve never been through anything like this in my life. I don’t even know what happened. I need some rest, I’m scared, I’m traumatized. I will never do anything like this again,” she said.
In her posts, Blackwell shared that she was deeply affected by the way she was treated in jail, saying “this is what these people do to us black people.” She also vowed to stay humble and lead a better life to avoid ever going to jail again. “I felt like I spent years in there,” she wrote.
What a surprise, jail isn’t fun. You lose your freedom, regardless of your skin tone. The fact that ‘Meatball’ vows to live a cleaner life says to me that the system worked, in this case.
Blackwell was arrested after livestreaming hours of looting in Philadelphia. Her stream followed looters as they hit a state liquor store, a Lululemon store, and the Center City Apple store, where they stole clothing and technology.
Throughout the stream, Blackwell can be heard cheering on the crowd and encouraging them to continue looting. The stream ended with her apparent arrest in the back of a police car.
Influencer ‘Meatball’ appears to be arrested while livestreaming wild looting rampage in Philadelphia https://t.co/cDj3iWUrBT pic.twitter.com/iW2HmSa6SH
— New York Post (@nypost) September 27, 2023
According to reports, Blackwell has been charged with six felonies and her bail was set at $25,000. She is just one of the over 50 arrests that have been made in connection to the looting in different parts of Philadelphia.
Several businesses in North Philadelphia were looted, including three pharmacies, a hair salon, a tax preparation company, and a cellphone store. Photos of the aftermath show a sporting goods store with mannequins and sneakers scattered everywhere, an Apple store and a T-Mobile store with phones and accessories strewn on the floor, and multiple businesses with shattered windows and damaged doors.
One of the arrested individuals was out on bail for a previous murder case. This highlights the danger of releasing individuals charged with serious crimes back into the community, as it puts innocent people at risk.
Instead of resorting to looting and crime, it would be more helpful for communities to have access to resources and opportunities that can help them thrive. The lack of economic opportunities and resources is often cited as one of the reasons for the rise in crime and looting in certain areas.
It is also worth mentioning that the ongoing pandemic has severely impacted small businesses and the economy, making it even more crucial to support and protect them— NOT DEMOLISH THEIR LIFE’S WORK.
The destruction caused by these looters only adds to the struggles that small business owners are already facing.
The looting and destruction not only harm individuals and businesses, but they also have a negative impact on the community as a whole. It creates a sense of fear and unrest, and it damages the reputation of the city.
In the face of this chaotic situation, it is important to remember that violence and looting will not solve any problems. Instead, it only creates more problems and causes harm to innocent individuals. Not to mention, it will land you in jail!
Don’t be a meatball…