[Aftermath of the bombing. photo courtesy Philly.com]

Today (May 13) marks the 28th anniversary of the bombing of Osage Avenue in Philadelphia, an effort by police to rid the neighborhood of a radical group that called themselves MOVE. Police dropped a bag of Tovex and C-4 explosives on the rooftop bunker of the MOVE headquarters, leading to the deaths of six adults, five children, and the complete destruction of 61 homes.

Needless to say, this was a gross misuse of power by the police, despite the fact that MOVE had long overstayed their welcome and were seen brandishing automatic weapons while blaring threats on the lives of city officials over a bullhorn.

After hours of research, this appears to be the first real example of a city bombing its own residents and properties. There have been other somewhat similar events since, like the sieges at Waco and Ruby Ridge that led to several deaths and loads of controversy.

Take a look at my full post on the MOVE bombing over at Curbed Philly. It'll only take a few minutes to read, and you'll reconsider the definition of 'necessary police force.'