The Nation - News from April 8, 1985

Looting and vandalism erupted in downtown Philadelphia as crowds of youths left theaters showing martial arts films, and as many as 18 persons were arrested, authorities said. Mayor W. Wilson Goode, calling the melee “a case of too many young people being in one area at one time,” said police estimated that 5,000 youths were in a three-block area during the hourlong disturbance. Goode and Police Commissioner Gregore Sambor said they did not know what caused the rampage, but Goode noted that the violence began when three movies--”The Last Dragon,” another martial arts film and “Beverly Hills Cop”-- ended at about the same time.