From [HERE] During a Black Lives Matter protest in June 2020, a protestor and student at Temple University was struck in the neck with a metal baton by Philadelphia Police Officer Joseph Bologna, Jr., that resulted in the victim sustaining significant head injuries requiring about 10 staples and sutures.

Bologna was arrested for simple assault, reckless endangerment and possession of an instrument of crime following the incident. His charges were later thrown out by a judge.

But Tuesday, the Philadelphia District Attorney refiled charges.

Originally, the student was arrested and referred to the District Attorney’s Office for assaulting a police officer. However, after the District Attorney’s Office reviewed the evidence, they cleared the student of any charges and instead sought to charge Bologna.

A passerby recorded Bologna striking the student with a metal rod and tackling him to the ground and posted it on Twitter, leading to significant public outrage in a time of extreme anger and activism against police brutality. Bologna was fired quickly after the footage going viral on Twitter.

Reviews of Bologna’s time in the Philadelphia Police Department showed that Bologna received numerous complaints of previous misconduct before being fired.

However, the police union continued to heavily support Bologna, with more than 100 officers gathering outside the union headquarters where Bologna surrendered. They even went so far as selling “Bologna Strong” T-shirts to show their support.

The Philadelphia Police Department has proven to have a history of incidents surrounding police brutality and systemic racism. Multiple instances of police violence have said to have occurred within the Philadelphia Police Department, with many being left unresolved.