Subscribe!
“I’m a councilwoman. Please don’t tell me what to do.”
About 3 weeks ago, Providence City Councilperson, Kat Kerwin, was present at Fortnight, a Dorrance Street wine bar, when the Providence Police responded to a resident’s complaint about loud music. She intervened between one of the owners, Mackenzie Holway, and the two to three police officers who were asking about a license to play music, which the venue did not have. Kerwin claimed that the police were unprofessional. The
Yesterday, the Providence Police released the bodycam of the officer and various media picked it up. Tara Granahan reached out to Kerwin to ask her to come on her morning program on WPRO Radio to discuss the situation and to tell her side of the story. Kerwin does not apologize for her behavior, but doubled down in expressing concern about the police at the event.
Later in the day, a reporter from the Boston Globe provided an audio of the complaint that was made to the Providence Police about the noise coming from the wine bar, which resulted in the dispatch of the officers.
The owners of the wine bar acknowledged that they did not have a license for music, would turn the music off, and would get a license if there was a next time they wanted to play music.
At the beginning of the tape Kerwin is heard telling the officers, “I’m a councilwoman, please don’t tell me what to do. Thank you”, just before she goes up the sidewalk to “call the police chief” (she later says that the chief did not pick up the call).
When told that a neighbor who lives “upstairs” in one of the apartments/condos downtown and the music was bothering him as he was trying to sleep, Kerwin says clearly, if they “live downtown they can get f—-ing over it”. Kerwin repeatedly takes her mask, which is loosely on her face, down to speak to people on the street, including the officers and the owner of the wine bar.
Kerwin represents Ward 12 (Capital Center, Smith Hill, Valley Street area)
Fortnight has more than one sign in the window that says “Black Lives Matter” and “Kill A Cop”. The Providence Journal reports that an owner has been accused of spray painting ACAB (All Cops Are Bastards) on the side of Providence City Hall.
Towards the end of the incident, Holway asks the officer, “what do you think about the Black and brown community right now”…and the female Black officer can be heard saying, “I’m a Black officer”. Holway says, “I know…”.
Kerwin posted this on her social media pages after the Providence Police released the video: “Because god forbid I speak just how every other a__hole old white politician speaks❗️remember folks, checking the cops = good.”
Former Providence City Councilman Terry Hassett has said that many people are suggested he run for his old office again.
RINewsToday reached out to Hassett who replied, “2022 is a time to correct things. 2022 beckons”.
While not committing to a run that would be two years away, Terry will be on with Tara Granahan on WPRO in the 10:30am hour today, Wednesday, August 5th.
The whole Kat Kerwin Kerfuffle has kept local and even some Boston media hyper-focused as it presents a perfect storm of issues to cover, complete with audio, video, and Kerwin, herself, who is willing to double down almost at every opportunity.
To those who critiqued her on Twitter, she replied: “You can say whatever you want about me but just know my dad is coming for you in the comments”.
We are providing you with the video, here – and the podcast of Tara’s show, which follows:
Providence Police Video (taken from ProJo website):
Providence Councilwoman Kat Kerwin interviewed by WPRO’s Tara Granahan:
https://www.spreaker.com/user/wpro/8-4-20-kat-kerwin