In this op-ed, Jenn M. Jackson, a writer, activist, and Ph.D. candidate in American Politics at the University of Chicago, explains why destruction that occurred in Philadelphia following Super Bowl LII was actually white rioting.

On February 4, the Philadelphia Eagles bested the New England Patriots 41 to 33 in Super Bowl LII.

I didn’t watch the game, but apparently this is the first time in their franchise's history that the Eagles have won a Super Bowl match. Before the players even hung up their cleats last night, thousands of fans took to the streets to destroy the city.

According to live accounts, the riots started around halftime. On-the-ground images and videos show hordes of people pouring down streets, jumping on cars, and demolishing property as they “celebrated” their win. The crowd was reported to be predominantly white, and the rioters — who are on video committing egregious acts of vandalism and crime — and the general milieu of reports suggest that they were just engaging in harmless, albeit drunken, commemoration of their historic win.

But the images are pretty damning. In one video, rioters are seen destroying the inside of a convenience store.

Others show “celebrations” that include car-flipping.

Predominantly white rioters weren’t just ravaging the streets in Philadelphia. Katherine Mayo at the Massachusetts Daily Collegian caught images of University of Massachusetts students rioting after the Patriots’ loss. Estimates suggest nearly 2,000 people rioted there. Six were arrested.