Philadelphia passes bill to symbolically ban R Kelly from the city

“This city doesn’t welcome him”

The city of Philadelphia have passed a bill that symbolically bans R Kelly from ever stopping by for a visit.

On Thursday (January 31), the Philadelphia City Council unanimously passed a resolution to “mute” R Kelly. While the bill doesn’t officially ban the singer from the city, it serves as “a public declaration” that “this city doesn’t welcome” him.

The singer was recently dropped by RCA Records after the broadcast of Lifetime’s Surviving R Kelly docuseries brought renewed attention on him and allegations of sexual misconduct. Kelly has always denied the claims.

Speaking to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Councilwoman Helen Gym, a co-sponsor of the resolution said: “I believe that R Kelly and predators like him should be shamed and banished from the public sphere.”

Kelly has not been convicted of any crimes but he is now being investigated by the FBI.

According to TMZ, the FBI is looking into claims that the singer transported a minor across state lines for the purpose of sex. If proved true, Kelly would be in violation of US federal law’s Mann Act and could face up to 10 years in prison.

It’s claimed that one of Kelly’s alleged victims, Azriel Clary, who was featured in the Surviving R Kelly docuseries, was flown from Palm Springs to Phoenix to Orlando in May 2015. She was 17 years old at the time of the alleged journey.

Kelly recently issued a new denial of the allegations made against him through his lawyer, Steve Greenberg, earlier this month. Greenberg told Associated Press: “The allegations aren’t true because he never knowingly had sex with an underage woman, he never forced anyone to do anything, he never held anyone captive, he never abused anyone.”