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Pittsburgh Police & Protest Arrests
by Police Scanner
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 8:10 PM
Pittsburgh Police appear to not be following proper arrest proceedures
I left the protest at about 6:30 and decided to listen to the police scanner once I got come. From what I gather from Pittsburgh Police channel number seven, the arresting officers were supposed to have pictures taken of their 'prisoners' at the time of the arrest but were not doing so during the mass arrest. From the radio chatter, the police don't sound very organized as there has been a lot of confusion about where to take arrested juveniles. Can anyone report on what exactly happened at 7th and William Penn? From radio estimates, it seems about 70 people were arrested and taken to jail on two PAT buses.
Arrests Update
by PS Guy
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 8:21 PM
As of 8:20 p.m. police estimate 100 to 125 arrests!
More details
by PS Guy
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 8:33 PM
One last update from the police channel
-arrestng police were instructed to charge the 'anarchists' with inciting a riot
-a few were treated for 'OC Contamination' (Pepper Spray)
-police are overwhelmed with paper work at county jail
Arrests
by Rovin' Workman
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 9:09 PM
I witnessed approx. four arrests towards the tail end of the march on the South Side. One protestor was grabbed from near the sidewalk, and forcefully thrown into a blue, jeep-type vehicle. Two were pulled off their bikes. One arrested earlier in the middle of the street.
On the way back from the South Side, about 6-10 people cuffed, being loaded onto paddy wagon at Seventh and Wm. Penn. Those congregating on the sidewalk instructed to get in their cars [sic] and go home.
At least one member of the IWW General Defense Committee was arrested this evening.
Before marching to the South Side on Smithfield St. Bridge, a gold colored vehicle attempted to drive through the crowd, pushing several protestors back. I do not know if anyone was injured, though many in the crowd were angered at the driver, with some hitting the car to get his attention; it appeared the car's appearance was altered.
On a sidestreet in the South Side, near 5th and Carson, one protestor fell ill. Several people came to her assistance. Police soon thereafter instructed these people who were sitting on one side of the sidewalk to disperse immediately. When informed people were there to help their fallen comrade, one officer responded "I don't really care," and "she shouldn't have walked this far." When another officer came over, the "bad" cop became Mr. Good Cop, and offered to call a medic, which was refused. The fallen protestor was helped-up, and was able to move away from the police.
jimbo
by james hesky
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 12:54 PM
strictflow2k@aol.com 412-606-1359
at the end of the march, i'm not sure what incited it, but a cop in riot gear charged one of the pretesters with his shield, pinning him up against the wall. people began running away, and shortly after the cops said that they called for us to disperse, however it was difficult for anyone to hear anything at that point. within 30 seconds, the cops surrounded the marchers and told everyone to get up against the wall. certain people, including minors, were slammed to the ground and cuffed with officers' knees on their backs, while the rest of us were told to stay against the wall, crushing many of the peacefull marchers.
They cuffed everyone and divided the minors from the adults, sending the adults to county jail and the minors to the court house.
One minor complained of being hit in the eye with a police baton, and one claimed her brother was punched in the face while he was cuffed. But I heard no other injury complaints.
POLICE JUSTIFIED
by sGT, mAN
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 3:47 PM
the police were justified, the protesters were blocking traffic and pedestrians, you violated citizens freedoms,
What are you doing???
by Terra
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 5:00 PM
What are these protests supposed to accomplish? The war has already started and your opinion really won't affect anything. Instead of wasting your time and our police resources maybe you should do something that will actually make a difference? Collect money for war victims, volunteer to go to Iraq and help the people....something....ANYTHING....but STOP WHINING AND CRYING THAT LIFE ISN"T FAIR. Aside from injuries, arrests and backing up traffic, what did you accomplish???? NOTHING.
What were we doing?
by Theo
Saturday, Mar. 22, 2003 at 1:29 AM
TheoK444@aol.com
We obviously accomplished something, because we got your attention. And the attention of the entire city to let people know that we oppose what Bush has done in Iraq. Maybe we won't influence the administration, but we can still influence the public, and hopefully they'll vote Bush out of office in 2004.
Protocol
by PS Guy
Saturday, Mar. 22, 2003 at 8:40 AM
The reason I started this news item wasn't to agrue the police weren't justified in making arrests. I happen to think the police gave fair warning that there would be arrests if people obstructed traffic. My contention is that they may not have been following the appropriate policies in making their arrests. For example, do they have accurate records of the arresting officer for each of those arrested? The scanner traffic seemed to indicate there was a lot of confusion among the police. The scanner traffic indicated that they targeted those they thought to be 'leaders'. I left before the arrests started happening, so I don't know. I marched until about 6:30 p.m. and then went home. If I were preparing the legal defense of those arrested, I'd be sure to subpoena the tapes from Pittsburgh Police radio channel seven. Unfortunately, some of the more interesting comments were probably on channel eight, which I understand is not taped.
not proper procedure
by Brian
Saturday, Mar. 22, 2003 at 7:12 PM
artriotmedia@aol.com
Yeah, when they told us to disperse or be arrested, we were then told 20 seconds later to put our hands against the wall. The official arresting officer is apparently the person who takes down our names in the car, most us dealt with about 5 officers each during the course of our arrest. The call to arrest people was made on the radio before the call for us to disperse. Not to mention, how do you disperse from an alleyway where you have a wall, and then cops surrounding you waiting to arrest you in every other situation? There definatly was profiling going on. There were few people arrested over the age's of 25. Most of us were young and dressed more radicaly so we would have appeared to all be anarchists to them. We weren't processed untill right before being taken to the magistrate, this was the next day and up to about 22 hours after our arrest for most of us.
More police comments
by PS Guy
Saturday, Mar. 22, 2003 at 9:40 PM
Around 6:30 p.m. or so (when the march returned to the federal building the first time), my wife and I overheard an officer who appeared to be a commander arguing with some of the riot police that they really messed up because they should have trapped the crowd at grant and 7th "like rats".
I believe some commanders within the police had plans to trap people with the resulting mass arrests well before the march even started. My plan for the next large rally is to tape record the police channels and make a transcript available here if the police act inappropriately. I know Pittsburgh Police intelligence reads this web site so let me give you guys a little tip. If the police are going to send undercover police to march with the crowd, next time you might ask them to hide their big bulky radios, use earpieces and actually act undercover.
As I stated, I think that after two plus hours of unpermitted protest, protestors had to expect that there could be arrests. However, that does not excuse our police from acting professionally or give them license to target certain people. I certainly don't think commanders should be calling the public 'rats'. My 3% wage tax and property tax pays their salaries!
Anti-War Rallies Impact the Wrong People
by Anonymous114
Sunday, Mar. 30, 2003 at 8:33 PM
We all know that the Constitution grants us the rights that you all, the "anti-war advocates", utilize every time you hit the streets of Pittsburgh and surrounding suburbs. However, I really think you fail to accomplish anything but public annoyance, inconvienance and general disorderly conduct when you do so! NO ONE is going to change their minds about their personal views of this war because you (collectively) block the streets, sidewalks, and parking lots with your numbers...nor is government going to pull our troops out of Iraq! Imagine if all of those (MYSELF being one of them) who support this war decided to occupy the streets and sidewalks of YOUR neighborhood! As for the police....those men and women are doing their job. I would refer you all to the PA. Crimes Code/Sections 5502 (Failure of Disorderly Persons to Disperse) - 5503 (Disorderly Conduct) - 5507 (Obstructing Highways and other Public Passages)...not to mention enciting a riot. Feel free to voice your opinions and post signs around YOUR OWN residence protesting whatever you feel you need to...but STAY OFF OUR STREETS AND OUT OF THE REST OF SOCIETY'S WAY!!
"disorderly conduct"
by Jan
Sunday, Mar. 30, 2003 at 9:07 PM
First of all, annonymous 114, I have to tell you that those laws you loved to spout off are laws that are only put into effect when it is convenient for the police to do so. Did you ever hear of the FOURTH AMMENDMENT!! It says we have the right to a peaceful assembly. We were peacefully assembling to make our voices heard. We were excercising our "freedom" of speech. The cops asked us to get on the sidewalks and I saw everyone do that. Then they decided to invoke us with pepperspray/tear gas.
How come they don't spracy tear gas onto rowdy drunk people coming out of sporting events? (I DON'T WANT THEM TO!) But they are drunk and disorderly as well, but I never heard of tear gas being sprayed on them because they don't have anything "dangerous" to say. Dangerous meaning it would threaten how ordinary citizens are forcefed through the monopolized media.
Oh no, I better check my spelling for fear that some moron will come along and judge me by my typos. FUCK IT THOUGH!
Know your Constitution
by 1st Amendment
Sunday, Mar. 30, 2003 at 9:22 PM
As a matter of fact I have heard of the FOURTH AMENDMENT. Which is for search and seizure. I believe you were trying to refer to the FIRST AMENDMENT. Before calling someone a moron because you may of not spelled something correct. Maybe youre a moron for not reciting the correct amendment
In Regard to "Disorderly Conduct"
by Anonymous114
Sunday, Mar. 30, 2003 at 9:34 PM
Well Jan, it is the 1ST AMENDMENT, not the 4th, that grants you the right to a PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY and freedom of speech. And the operative word there is "peaceful". You're marches are NOT peaceful...they are loud, disorderly, and disrruptive. And I noticed that you did not comment on the other laws I cited, like the blocking of public sidewalks and streets, or failure to disperse. Like I said, you HAVE the right to make your opinions known and your voices heard (remember, thats the 1st Amendment Jan).....but do it PEACEFULLY, like that amendment says...not by blocking OUR streets and sidewalks, and disrrupting the lives of innocent people who just want to get home from work to their families at the end of a long day. The way I see it, you people should consider yourselves LUCKY that may of us who support our war efforts don't decide to confront you in the streets....because I promise you, there are MANY MORE of us than there are you!! In fact, you should be happy the police are there to protect you from just those types of people who may just decide to "protest your protest". By the way, take a look at the latest polls on the KDKA's website, that say 85% of Pittsburgher's DO NOT support your rallies....and since you have problems with numbers Jan (ie - 1st and 4th), that means only 15% support the rallies.
Do you have a brain?
by ManD
Monday, Mar. 31, 2003 at 3:32 PM
stitched_ragdoll@hotmail.com Squirrel HIll
What are these protests supposed to accomplish? The war has already started and your opinion really won't affect anything. Instead of wasting your time and our police resources maybe you should do something that will actually make a difference? Collect money for war victims, volunteer to go to Iraq and help the people....something....ANYTHING....but STOP WHINING AND CRYING THAT LIFE ISN"T FAIR. Aside from injuries, arrests and backing up traffic, what did you accomplish???? NOTHING.
In response to this Terra person and your comment above:
As it was stated earlier by another in the sring, obviously it's doing what a lot of us are intending - catching the public's attention, the media, and whoever else has even the slightest of common sense and logical thinking that this is something a lot of citizens do not want to see happen. And obviously, from your reply it worked. You responded. And the person I see "whining" is you with your moronic use of capital letters.
You say we're "wasting our time" with these peace marches and objections against the war. If we're wasting time, then I guess that accounts thousands of others across the country, and around the world. Now, think about it: if one person stood against a thousand others with opposing viewpoints on a subject, yes that may seem rediculous. But we all started out as one mind, then one body in these marches. Open your damn eyes, people are dying out there. Women men Children, Iraqi's that want nothing to do with this war. Even OUR troops are dying too.
Do we whine and cry that life's not fair? No. We're "whining" about the injustice of this war. It's a genocide on cities that are rich in history and thanks to the idiot who isn't even elected in my eyes that runs this country is turning it into a crater filled with dead bodies. That is what isn't "fair"
Stop and rationally think about this, Terra. Yes I could agree to the idea that Saddam should be incapacitated and handled, but that doesn't mean drop scud missiles everywhere and let innocents die.
As for the police, the injuries, arrests and "backing up traffic" - the whole system is corrupt. They attack the peace marchers and yet I've barely seen a damn thing against the pro-war people. It's robbing many people of their given Freedom of Speech and instead given a club to the head, broken noses, sprayed and cuffed like criminals beyond rehabilitation. That's bullshit.
So how about -you- do something that will make a difference and help a fellow American, or ANY person that's denied their freedoms in THIS COUNTRY before you spout off about it not making a difference. The difference it's made has showed the brutality festers here and we're only spreading it to other countries we don't belong.
We're affecting something - affirming our freedom and making it known that this shit has to stop.
So, if you don't like what you see around here, it's really simple then - DON'T READ IT.
Go up to the right hand corner of your screen. See that little |X| button? Click it. Bye bye.
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