Activist pleads guilty to federal charge in 2020 Philadelphia protest

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A well-known west Philadelphia activist has pleaded guilty to a felony over his actions during 2020 protests following the death of George Floyd. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that 31-year-old Anthony Smith pleaded guilty Tuesday to obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder. He told the federal judge that he and others flipped a police car parked outside City Hall. The plea Tuesday comes a couple of months after Philadelphia officials announced a $9.25 million settlement in lawsuits filed by Smith and other activists challenging the police response to the protests and civil disorder following Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police.