Mayor Michael Nutter had to stop delivering his budget address Thursday due to a massive protest inside Philadelphia City Council chambers, but he's now delivering his remarks in his conference room.
Earlier, council adjourned its budget session amid what Gomez described as "chaos inside and outside council chambers."
"Mayor delivering budget address- I'm maybe 15 ft away I can't hear a word," Gomez tweeted shortly after 12:30 p.m. "Protesters screaming at piercing levels."
The mayor stopped his speech then got back at it briefly, but no one could hear him. Gomez reported that the police commissioner and council president were unable to do anything to stop the protest.
Moments later Gomez tweeted, "Mayor gave up on his speech for the moment. Never seen anything like it."
Around 12:45 p.m., council recessed.
It was after 1:15 p.m. when Nutter started his speech again in his conference room. He didn't acknowledge the earlier incidents.
Thursday's protests came after unionized city workers hit the steps of City Hall on Wednesday and blasted the mayor's administration over its handling of new contracts. The fight is mostly over benefits.
Nutter has repeatedly said the city can't afford packages offered by past administrations. Union officials insist the money is there.
A spokesman for the mayor said the unions were unwilling to address benefit reform.
The mayor's office says it's within its rights to appeal an arbitrator's ruling on the firefighters' contract.
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WTXF-TV 330 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-2796
Several protesters are seen holding up signs during Mayor Nutter's budget address Thursday.
