community-based, non-corporate, participatory media
ARREST REPORTS
by Noah Pression
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 3:11 PM
information about the M20 arrests
I am starting this thread to get information of the arrestees. if you know of a story please post it here. get the word out. also get possible defence information here. lets help those who were arrested for speaking and assembling freely. they ARE political prisoners
Arrest Info
by Alisha
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 3:46 PM
abhagat@andrew.cmu.edu
I just recieved a call from some Carnegie Mellon Students who were arrested at the protest today. They told me that they were walking on the sidewalk when the police came onto the sidewalk and told them to leave. The police then started to indiscriminatly use pepper spray and billy clubs on the protesters. Protesters were held to the ground with clubs and told by the police to leave. They could not leave (because they were held to the ground) so they were arrested for "Failure to Obey". The person who gave me this information managed to get out of his handcuffs en route to the jail. The people with him estimate that around 100 people were arrested many of them beaten beforehand.
Jail
by Alisha
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 3:48 PM
A large number of arrested people have been taken to the Allegheny County Jail.
Arrest info
by Alisha
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 3:53 PM
I just got a call from a handful of CMU undergrads who have been arrested. The story that I heard from them is that they were marching downtown at the anti-war rally today. They were marching on the sidewalk (as instructed by the police). The police then came onto the sidewalk and indiscrimnately used pepper spray and billy clubs on the prostesters. The protesters were forced to the ground and held there. The police told them to leave but they couldn't (being held to the ground) so they were arrested. They are currently being taken to jail.Their charge is Failure to Obey.
This is really similar to what happened with the arrest of the protesters in DC. I have no clue as to the exact numbers but the people who were aressted estimate around 100 people were arrested.
Jail
by Alisha
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 3:54 PM
Arrestees are now at the Allegheny county jail
hey all
by pittsburgh imc
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 4:05 PM
our contacts say that people are being arraigned as we speak. if you want to support the arrestees, head downtown to the county courthouse. supporters will be going to give arrestees rides home if needed.
aaaah
by Evan N
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 4:10 PM
aaahhhhh. What can people do to help?
Racial Profiling
by JeRC
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 4:12 PM
jrcst34@pitt.edu
The police arrested a man of Middle Eastern descent after the police stopped his father, who spoke with an accent. The incident occurred several yards from us, if anyone saw this arrest or knows the victims please contact the Merton Center. They are trying to arrange legal defense.
helping
by andy
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 4:14 PM
if you wanna email me with your phone number, we can let you know if anyone needs bail money at any point tonight, since we *probably* should get that info. and we can put you in contact with the people who are sort of coordinating those efforts, should they need help. my email: arm58@pitt.edu
Witness
by Brett
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 4:24 PM
brettw@pitt.edu 412-400-1356
After the march had been broken up by the police on the Smithfield St. bridge (by the arresting of protesters marching on the sidewalk and disrupting nothing), myself and a group of people were walking on the sidewalk trying to find a bus stop so we could return home. As we were walking, two policemen rushed up and pushed one of our group against a building and arrested him. Down the street, an older man of Arab descent was surrounded and being questioned by 5 or 6 policemen. When the man said, "I won't say anything until I get a lawyer," the police pushed him against a building and arrested him as well. Then, when his son came up to ask why his father was being arrested, the son was arrested.
These people were simply walking down the sidewalk, quietly and peacefully, trying to reach a bus stop so they could return home. There had been absolutely no violence during the march. When the police moved to force the march onto the sidewalk, it was done with very little confrontation. When the police started arresting people on the bridge, 99% of the marchers dissipated as ordered and without confrontation.
As I watched all of this happening, the words of the chant "This is what democracy looks like" echoed through my head.
Let me know if I can help with bail money. I'm heading down to the courthouse right now.
police state
by concerned citizen
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 4:32 PM
the popo need to realize that we are totally peaceful and we march in peace. they are the ones who start the violence and show up dressed for battle. i think pittsburgh has a citizens police review board. we NEED to take our case there. don't let them intimidate you. they have too much power
ARRESTEES!
by emma
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 4:34 PM
emma@indypgh.org
Arrestees:
When you get out of jail, please contact the Thomas Merton Center. They're trying to get everyone who was arrested together with the ACLU, to talk about what the next legal steps will be.
WHo was arrested?
by Shannin Moody
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 4:56 PM
zelamirdesade@aol.com
Does anyone know HOW we can find out who was arrested? I have the number to Allegheny Jail (412-350-2000) but no one is answering for the Inmate option?
i'm a tad bit worried since i haven't heard from the fiancee (Troy Shelly). And i would like to find out if he was one of those arrested. Unfortunately i had to work and didn't march today so i'm a bit clueless on what's going on. ANy info pass it along. Other then that i guess it's a trip to the COurt House to find out.
-SnM
Total Bullshit
by Ice Cube
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 4:59 PM
these mass arrests were TOTAL FUCKING BULLSHIT!!! i was standing on the corner and out of the blue two cops rushed in and body checked two kids with their riot shields. i honestly dont think anything happened to provoke the begining of arrests. the first two roughed-up and arrested looked to be minors. this started the string of arrests. one woman asked an cop why-he said, "failure to dispurse." i personally do not recall the cops telling the crowd to leave the sidewalks. the only, only thing they said was "get on the sidewalk or be arrested"
it happens all the time they get everyone stopped on the sidewalks-doing what they told us-and then start beating people's asses for not moving! this is wrong.
but hey i said before and i'll say it again, FUCK THE POLICE!!!
..
by ..
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 5:16 PM
other fucked up thing that happened was the extreme racial profiling of people that took place. I noticed a lot of cops pointing out specific people of color to be arrested.
OOOHHH PEACE RALLY ERUPTS IN VIOLENCE
by Che
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 5:35 PM
You guys tore up someone's license plate adn kick their car?? Pretty f'n nice. Why? Becasue one of you mo-rons got "bumped'? WELL YOU WERE IN HTE MIDDLE OF THE STREET !!! and not jsut any stret a state huighway. AND YOOU WENT THERE WITH THE EXPRESS INTENT OF PLAYINFG IN TRAFFIC> You assumed the risk buttheads. THe police shoudl have arrested you the minute you obstructed traffic. THen they shoud have thrown you in the back of the paddywagon and taken you for a ride down a bumpy road. ANd then they shoudl have throw you in the cell wiht large men wiht tattoos and military experience.
Face it. You are not about peace. You are about just getting int he wya of responsible people. You can have your opinins. You can work for peace,. ou can work for justice. But why do you have to casue havoc in society. Your stated purpse was to get arrested. That consumes non0military resources and costs the City alot of money becasue you want to play games. Go home and leave us in PEACE. PEACE what a cool idea. Try not disturbing hte PEACE wiht your silly improperly names PEACE Rally.
Did I mention that you guys are really ignorant and rude.
I was there
by Che
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 5:39 PM
I was there..and the protesters were anythign but reserved adn obeying hte law. They were rude. They were all over teh streets and not on teh sidewalks as some of you revisionsist want to paint it. I saw protesters chasing cars and screaming at the drivers just becasue they wanted to get away from the mess. THe protesters were delivberately walking slowly in front of traffic (people just rying to go home).
In sum, the protesters were rude and were looking for hte trouble they found. Maybe a night in the coutny lock-up will scare some of you twits sensible.
Hey Ice ube
by Che
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 5:43 PM
Maybe if you didnt walk arounf wiht your F the Police atttude they would beat you ass. Did you ever think there might be a coorrelation there????
Shut up, Che
by Chuck0
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 5:50 PM
The protesters were rude? They disobeyed the law?
Oh, poor cry baby! If you are so concerned about the "law," why aren't you out there on the streets protesting George Bush's illegal violent activities?
Visualize George W in the pokey for war crimes.
Information thus Far on those Arrested
by Shannin Moody.
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 5:51 PM
zelamirdesade@aol.com
Alright On my search for Troy we called the Jail House. They are SWAMPED and can't even get a list of names of those arrested. My friend even apprached a cop and asked if they could help out. The cop said that again they are swamped and didn't recommend anyone going down to the Jail. (So of course i'm headed down). iof you call the Jail (412-350-2000) You get NO answer it just rings. Either way i'll try to keep info posted. ANd would appreciate the same from anyone else who had info.
PEACE
-SnM
no correlation
by jwg
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 5:53 PM
no che, I was there
the police said get on the sidewalks or be arrested, we got on the sidewalks
they said disburse, we walked toward our meetign point, they said you can't go this way, disburse
so we walked the other way, they said you can't go this way disburse.
the police were extremely unorganised and getting paid OT.
We waited, trying to disburse but not being allowed
more wagons showed up (no incidents had happened yet) a cop jumped out swung his batton at us and yelled WHO WANTS SOME!!!!
no one answered, we just waited to be allowed to disburse...
finally as people were finally allowed to leave, the bolice began beating and gassing the crowd.
Pittsburgh's finest huh?
enjoy that OT pay
To JWG
by Che
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 6:07 PM
If I understand this right, you were disobeying hte Police and you are now wondering why they wee hassling you? You truly must be the product of public education in the 90's. Wprd to the wise...If a cop tells you something LISTEN. Remember he has the badge (and the club, adn usually a gun). So you are right...it is your street, but it is his street first and you are just a guest (an unruly loud and obnoxious guest, but still a guest).
Maybe if you'd open your eyes
by Jenny Chaos
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 6:10 PM
To the person who refers to the protestors as rude, you really should think about what you are saying instead of acting like a typical brainwashed macho american. If you did you might realize that it's far from appropriate to mace and attack protestors who have moved to the sidewalk apon benig told to do so. Its a little difficult to disperse when you are being forced to the ground and even if the protestors were not restraind they have the right to speak their minds. So I'll use a term you seem to like you butthead. I would not expect anyone with half a brain and any self control at all regardless of political affiliation to hit the accelerator with a crowd of people in front of you (id hate to think what you do with stop signs). Besides a group of people brave enough to stand by their convictions and stand against an unjust war are far more imporant than how quickly your commute goes, slow your car down and listen, what was the hurry anyway need to get home and see more bombs dropped on Baghdad?
report
by Brad Cue
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 6:28 PM
I just got back from the county jail where the minors are being released first to their parents. The two men of middle-eastern descent who were arrested were both let go without any charges. Father and son... I spoke with them briefly, they did not experience any police brutality and reported that the reason given to them for their arrests was that they were thought to have been organizers.
There is currently a group of 20-30 people at the county jail with food and blankets for those who are being released.
I was there, too
by Benjamin
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 6:39 PM
It would be a little easier to take you seriously, Che, if you managed to write in slightly less broken English...
Anyway, you are right that the marchers were obstructing traffic on major streets in the downtown area. As this was an unpermitted march, I hope most (all?) of the participants understood that there was some risk of getting arrested for their actions. The interesting part is that it appears that the vast majority of the arrests came when the march was winding down and most of the people who were still participating were not blocking traffic. I am curious to find out how many of those who were arrested intentionally participated in more high risk activities (e.g. marching in the street after being told to stay on the sidewalks). I'm sure it was only a small minority of the protesters who had any intention of being arrested tonight.
I observed part of the car drama that you mentioned. As I understand it, a motorist was trying to continue to drive (relatively slowly) on a street filled with marchers. Many marchers moved to make way for the car. One protester on a bike decided to sit down in the car's path to block its way. The car continued moving and actually made contact with the protester (I have no idea how serious the contact was). Some protesters reacted to the incident somewhat aggressively, which I consider unfortunate. However, there were also several marchers (including myself) who attempted to keep people moving in order to prevent tempers from flaring. While I consider it totally inappropriate protest behavior to attack people like the motorist in this incident, it takes a pretty big jerk to intentionally hit another person (even very softly) with his car. As far as I know, the vandalized license plate is the only damage that was done during the march.
In an attempt to relate this whole drama to what the action was actually supposed to be about, I should point out that being minorly inconvenienced on the way home from work (and I doubt anyone was delayed more than a half an hour) is pretty insignificant compared to having bombs dropped in one's neighborhood. At least a few of the marchers were trying to do something about the fact that a large group (perhaps the majority) of Americans don't seem to care much (or even know) that our military started bombing Baghdad today. Perhaps it takes some disruption of normal patterns to get people to think about these events.
Benjamin
benjaminy@alumni.cmu.edu
Heres How We Get Back
by Wheatpaster
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 7:04 PM
A permitted rally and march against police misconduct is already lined up for March 22nd (Saturday) 1pm at Freedom Corner in the Hill District, organized by a group called PEOPLE AGAINST POLOICE VIOLENCE. If you weren't planning to go before, whats it going to take?!? See you there.
March?
by We are takin Iraq!...Bombs Away!
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 7:13 PM
Was that pathetic peace march really worth the anxiety you will feel when you get to that block on an application asking if you if youve ever been arrested? Then have to explain it?
Will you wonder if thats the reason you didnt get the job? And the one before that?
Maybe not at McDonalds, they may overlook it..but not in the REAL world...Your parents will be beaming with pride when your in your 40s and you ask them if they would like to supersize their order for another 39 cents..
BTW..you didnt accomplish a single thing - Have fun livin in the gutter ;)...I'll put a quarter in your cup when I'm walking to work.
Tommorow
by Josh
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 7:17 PM
on the What Collective list it was said that people will gether at 4.30 at The Fedral Building.
M21!
Vigil/ Protest?
by Josh
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 7:26 PM
The Merton Center website calls for a vigil every friday. I'm assuming that includes tomorrow and that is what we are hearing about.
Anyone know about this? I think today was technically a vigil to. Will tomorrow become a protest and march as well?
arrested for talking
by commentorite
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 8:10 PM
at the end of protest while the arrests were being made, the few of us who didnt make it across the street before the cops boxed in the majority of the protest, remained standing on the other side of the street on both of the corners. the cops would come over every few minutes and demand that we leave or face arrest. wed move a bit and then continue watching. a little before 8pm there were about 10 or so of us remaining and they came over and again demanded that we leave, so we started to head up the street. one guy on a bike was in the back closest to the police and he started asking them things and telling them this and that about free speech and things, well the cops then surrounded him and arrested him while thrusting their clubs in our direction to keep us moving. the ch 11 news happened to be right there, with their camera off, but the rest of us got pretty angry about this incident, so they switched it on and started interviewing some. this seemed to scare the cops away good and well. we pointed this out the cops and then newswoman ran up to them with her camera guy. i started to head home after this.
i think this became a pretty fucked up night. i was even grabbed by a cop and threatened with arrest if i didnt give up my drum. i let him take it. i found the bucket in a park so i figured it wouldnt be such a terrible loss. i found that a few other people faced similiar circumstances regarding their drums too. kinda weird. i saw two drumers arrested who were near the street, i felt pretty helpless, i was too scared to try to help them because there were so many cops.
i really couldnt see what was happening to the bulk of the people. they were swarmed with cops and every so often the cops would carry a few of them along to the paddywagons. it was quite an alarming event. i even saw an aclu observer arrested (well, they were from a group of people wearing white aclu tshirts, so thats what i think this person was).
tomorrow
by commentorite
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 8:11 PM
tomorrow can become a rally and march if you want to be!
I HAVE SOME ARREST VIDEO
by Shannon
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 8:13 PM
shigrolious@yahoo.com
I was fortunate enough to have a digital video camera at my disposal today. Check back for a posting. I'll try for tonight.
Che's ignorance
by Red
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 8:24 PM
Che, please learn how to spell and type correctly before you again insult anyone else's intelligence.
Thank you.
che is a liar...
by hk
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 9:05 PM
this bastard che is a liar. he was farting on indymedia forum for bush's violent policy till 6:30pm today.
ATTN:CHE!
by jwg
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 9:32 PM
read it again, buddy, at no time did i say we were not following police orders.
I have no other argument for you other than read what I said again, and tell me where I said I was not following a police order?
seriously, tell me where?
I mean it, have you even read any of this or are you just spouting off. hmmm lemme check it.....
no
I never said I was not following what the police told me.
jwg this che has been making several mindless baseless comments on different forums..
by peace
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 9:48 PM
this che cannot reason as he doesnt have brains and also lies.
masks in solidarity
by kevin
Thursday, Mar. 20, 2003 at 11:51 PM
Its unfortunate that the police were able to target organizers as an intinmidation tactic. The only approriate response is to increase the resistance. I am not a confrontational person and have never engaged in confrontational protest tactics and as such have never felt like I need to hide behind a mask. But what I realized today is that the masks are not about getting away with violence or property destruction but a means to keep the police from singling out organizers and minorities as happened during the march tonight.
We are all in this together and the only hope we have is to stick together. So, all those who are going to the federal building tomorrow, ESPECIALLY those who do not plan to engage in confrontational tactics should wear masks in solidarity. And maybe bring bandanas for others and literature to explain their meaning and importance. We must not allow fear to silence us, silence = complicity.
in solidarity,
kevin
A Thought For All Those Opposed to the Marches
by Tim Ianulli
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 12:40 AM
It's been constantly asserted that these protests do nothing. So would you agree that we live in a state in which our opinions, no matter how earnestly expressed, are completely ignored by people supposed to represent us? If this indeed the way things are, then we've been bullied into powerless and insignificance, and not only are you complacent with insignificance, you're proud of that complacency, even boastful of it! Are American values now obedience and assent no matter what? Are we to become a nation of those little yapping dogs following around the big dog in cartoons?
zeke
by evan n
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 2:20 AM
go ahead to the federal building today zeke- there WILL be police all over the place and if you so much as brush up against someone you will get a nice pepper spray colonic and a beating. have fun
oh it also would be pretty cool if you could actually make rational arguments that made sense..
Friday 4:30
by Jan
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 2:40 AM
On the channel 11 news, it said there was a rally today at 4:30 at the Fed bldg. Is that true?
I got arrested....
by Matt Walker
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 2:58 AM
I was one of the 18 juveniles who were arrested last night...the formal charges were "Failure to disperse" and "Stopping Traffic". They let me out at like 12:30 AM this morning, and I want to thank anyone who was outside applauding my release. Thanks again.
racist & sexist posts removed
by pgh IMC editorial collective
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 3:18 AM
All: The purpose of Indymedia is to post news, post first-hand accounts, and have real dialogue about current issues. The purpose is not to call people names, to insult each other, and to toss around racist, sexist, homophobic language. Those posts have been hidden, as per the Pgh IMC Collective's explicit policy. .
Rally of Hate
by Che
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 3:46 AM
I read the reprots i thepaper and onthe news. Sounds like you guys were out of hand. I seriously doubt that you were "obeying the order s of the police." Hell, you went to this rally hoping to get arrested so you could make whatever our point is. So you could cost the city alot of money to babysit your butt. You intentionally intefered with people who have nothign to do with dropping bombs on anyone. Htey are just trying to do their jobs, making a delivery or just walking ot their car or going home. You intentionally cestroyed property, tearing off someone's license plate and throwing newspare and advertising boxes into the streets. You intentionalyy inconvenienced private citizens in an attempt to forcibly disrupt their day adn impose your opinions on them. Someone said earlier that a delay of a half hour is nothing compared to being bopmbed. Well your right, but that is not the comparison. Here a delay of a half hour is very significant and just plain rude. What about all the people on the buses who were delayed in getting h0me, or peopel driving home on theior own, to go home to spend time with their children. Or what about the person who has to be home at a specific time for child or elder care responsibilities. Now tell me how that furthers the cause of peace. Just because "You" have an opinion "You" think it is SO importnat that it has to be crammed down the throat of everyone else. Your tactics are just extortion and terrorism on a different scale. Soem peopel will not even come to work today becasue of the fear of a repeat of yesterday adn that they may be late to pick up the kids. ANd those that don't come to work may lose this day's pay or otherwise have to sacrifice a sick day from a time when they might really need it to stay home with their kids or parents. THanks alot you "peaceloving" "caring" selfish ninnies. And what about the polution that you contribute to by holding up traffic. Like I said, it is nto about peace. It is about you and trying to rationalize your self-importance. Quit cramming your opininos down on everyone else. Try to act respectful adn responsible for a change. I understand that you are mostly a bunch of high school ahnd college students whose brains have not yet had the opportunity to fully develop, but try real hard to be responsible members of society (and if you can't may the police give you a few lessons from Sgt. Miss Manners of the Pepper Gas High Colonic Brigade).
Please stay off the streets today adn let the rest of the City have some of hte peace you so angrily profess to desire.
Media -- Do not swallow
by jwg
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 3:55 AM
I watched the news too. Not an ounce of truth last night honestly. Not even trying to argue here. Channel 11 outright lied during their entire coverage.
It's saddening to know how little 'news' there is in this country. Corporations control the Government and corporations control the media. You are only being told what they want you to hear. It's disgusting that americans think that they live in a free state.
Misfit
by Elliott
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 4:23 AM
ETchewy@hotmail.com
i was one of the jouvies who were arrested. the police jumped a guy and charged us from behind. we were on the sidewalk. i got pinned up against the wall. then asked a lady cop very politely if i could get through because she was blocking me. i got bitched at to no extent for that. then i was told to keep moving. so i did. then i saw out of the corner of my eyes this wall of cops come rushing at us. told everyone to put there hands against the wall. so i did and the cuffs got put on me. missed the news and to top it off my mother who came to pick me up is pro war, step-father is anti-war, real father is completely pro war and step mother is pro war. its not a fun time here at home now.
AMEN Che
by Dave Z
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 4:30 AM
Che, your comments are spot on.
I saw the video myself....didnt even listen to the reporting...seeing what I saw, tehre is no way that the protestors were being lawful.
Break the law, go to jail.
Its a rule some kids have a hard time learning.
DZ
che is a liar
by att
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 4:36 AM
first he claims to be "at the protest" then he says he "watched the news" next he will say i was doing both at the same time...
online pgh mayor complaint form
by zeus
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 4:40 AM
Tip the police to there own behavior
http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/police/html/police_tip_form.html
Also write the mayors office
http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/mayor/html/mayors_service_center_request_.html
I'll see you tonight!
Read it again
by Dave Z
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 4:42 AM
To quote from Che's comments:
"I read the reprots i thepaper and onthe news. Sounds like you guys were out of hand. I seriously doubt that you were "obeying the order s of the police.""
Where did he say he was at the protest??
Like I said...the video spoke volumes.
The disruption that was showed clearly showed a case against the protestors.
Any alleged "police violence" that happened is most likely cases where a disgruntled youth is mad that they were told "to conform".
Give me a break.
Like I said. Demonstrate peacefully or stay away if you dont want to be arrested.
ATT is not too bright
by Che
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 4:42 AM
Att,
I was at the march last evening. I was nto there when the protesters got intot hte trouble withthe police. I had seen enough by 6:30 just downtown. Even then the protesteers were causing the proerty damage adn being generally rude. It was actually a little frightening since you could sense that several of the protesters were looking for some grander civil disobedience (or vandalism and larceny).
I then watched the news. You see, through the marvels of moderne technology, the news was braodcast after I got home, after the hate rally downtown. So I did in fact do both. Actually, through the marvels fo modern technology I was actually able to watch thehate rally on the news AND go outside and witness it in the streets, also.
That technology is an amazing thing. Maybe you steal yourself a TV while you are out hate rallying today.
impeach bush
by zeus
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 4:44 AM
The NYTimes had a full page ad trying to rally support to impeach GWB.
http://www.votetoimpeach.org
dont lie again che
by peace
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 4:51 AM
till 6:30pm you were still on that "marvellous technology" internet trying to support he barbaric bush. see the newswire on pittsburgh resist now.
ATT IS Still not too bright
by Che
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 5:04 AM
ATT,
Through the marvels of technology I can alos be online and step outside, and even watch the news. So, I sit here and rant at you fools. Go outside and check out teh anger and hate on my own. COme back in here and doel out a little more sensibility. Then I go back out side and check out your hinky little dance troop in the street or watch the hate ralliers walking down tthrough the middle of the planters htat divide Grant Street, kicking up the planting area. Then Go back to my PC. I can actually take my PC right into Starbucks and get on the internet throught eh marvels of technology and latte. So I was there. OF course I was there...I couldn't go home with you ninnies blocking the roads and basically tying up traffic around my parking garage. So I wasn't there when My kids got tucked in last Night. All in the name of your "hate Rally for Peace".
ATT IS Still not too bright
by Che
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 5:21 AM
ATT,
Through the marvels of technology I can alos be online and step outside, and even watch the news. So, I sit here and rant at you fools. Go outside and check out teh anger and hate on my own. COme back in here and doel out a little more sensibility. Then I go back out side and check out your hinky little dance troop in the street or watch the hate ralliers walking down tthrough the middle of the planters htat divide Grant Street, kicking up the planting area. Then Go back to my PC. I can actually take my PC right into Starbucks and get on the internet throught eh marvels of technology and latte. So I was there. OF course I was there...I couldn't go home with you ninnies blocking the roads and basically tying up traffic around my parking garage. So I wasn't there when My kids got tucked in last Night. All in the name of your "hate Rally for Peace".
hey che
by nerdette
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 5:49 AM
hit the add comment button once, for chrissakes!
on another note, i had a meeting with the two other leaders of my activist group today, they failed to arrive..goddamn arrests.
Che
by Tim Ianulli
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 5:51 AM
You have villified us, building a nice dead end for this conversation. As long as you respond with increasingly pejorative language to say the same thing, all you're really doing is asserting that the protest is bad just becaust it is. I honestly don't think the inconvenience imposed by the marches is unconscionable. The effects of it, even as you described them, are insignificant, relative even to one's typical day, and certainly so relative to the magnitude of that about which an opinion is being expressed. Marchers are simply everything within their means (including the means to deal with an arrest) in order to make their message conspicuous.
I would guess your disdain for the marches is really just another way of disagreeing with the marchers about the war.
AND simply labelling the marches as hateful once more isn't really a resonse to me, so that would bring this conversation to an impasse.
With both of those things in mind, I'm gonna do a usually cheap thing and try to change the topic. Before you start making accusations of hate, please tell us why you're in favor of the war.
Ianulli
by Che
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 6:20 AM
The inconvenience you cause is insignificant to YOU. It is not insignificant to those that you inconvenience. Not being able to get home to your kids (as opposed to not being able to get to your activist meeting) is SIGNIFICNAT to parent and child, and if that child is in day care it can be costly to the parent. Sounds insignificant to me...and all just becasue YOU have to get YOUR message across.
I disagree wioth your positinos yes, but I do not see any need for me to cram my opinion down your throat by keeping you from going to or from work, by preventing you from doing your LAWFUL job, by casuing an already cash strapped city to pay more money out for what amounts to a babysitting service for you adn the rest of the callous and rude "activists", or by tossing around newspaper boxes.
I am for the military action becasue I am opposed to Saddam Hussien's regime and his active obstacle to a wider peace in the mid-East and his facilitation of terrorists that want only to casue havoc in the WESt just to do anything to get THEIR MESSAGE ACROSS.
Protest all you want. But please PLEASE try to be respectful of others that share this society with you. Your actions yesterday were nothing shy of just plain ignorant. And it sure did nothing to get your "Message" across. As a group youu sure did nto look like you wanted "peace" but it looked like you wanted civil unrest. And you want this civil unrest just because I and the majority of Americans don't agree with you. Now that sounds like your attempt at ideological repression and estorition (either we start agreeing with you or we have to live in fear of daily riots and confrontation in the streets).
You are MOSTLY a group of poorly educated posers with little real world experience, given to providing inch deep analyiss of complex issues in a mnaer that only give any vredence to YOUR side of the argument. I say mostly becasue there are many of your group who are trly committed to the casue of peace without imposing upon the lawful rights of oterhs in society. There are those through true religious and pphilosophical belief truly seek peace and mutual respect of everyone. They are opposed to war and violence in any circumstance. However, I also hate war. I hate racism and other oppression. Yet I understand that there are those times when you must act agaisnt the injustices that even sovereign nations can bring upon their own citiznes and their global neighbors. Just think how the world might be different if England had listened to Winston Churchil rather than Chamberlain. How different the World woudl be if the US had entered the European theater of WWII sooner. How diferent it would have been if the world woudl have viewed the persecution by nazi germany of hte JEws and otehr minoroties for what is was (and not as some internal affair of a sovereign nation) in 1937 rather than waiting until Allied trops marched into Berge belsen. The modern world can not afford isolationism just because we hide behind the supposed purity of devotion to peace just becasue we really do not have the stomach for the travesty of war itself or the responsibilty to truly bring the liberated adn concquered to a better place in the global community.
Please understadn I am devoted to the casue of peace (even if I know that there are those times when peace can only be brought about at the end of a spear). I hate war. I love peace. I hope that this war gives us peace soon. AND if it doesn't and you still insist on acosting peopel in the streets, don't be surprised if some other peaceloving citizen takes your Bush Is A Nazi placard and beats you sensible with it.
Dave Z...
by casey c
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 6:40 AM
Che DID say he was there, originally...
"I was there..and the protesters were anythign but reserved adn obeying hte law."
Hey Che
by Dave Z
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 6:44 AM
Forget it Che....we are arguing a lost cause here....
This is an "activist" board and therefore the tone will ALWAYS be discontent.....I knew that when I posted, and have gotten a bit iof a kick out of some of the responses I got....one day, these folks will temper there current firey opinions with real world experience and then they will learn a bit....
Seems like "activist" has been redefined over the years....whatever happened to sit-ins and peaceful picketing?? Instead, accosting innocent commuters and defensless newspaper boxes are the norm.
It's funny.......someone said "goddam arrests"....and said how they were interferring with an acitivist meeting.
WELL DONT GIVE THE COPS A REASON TO ARREST ANYONE TO BEGIN WITH!
Be peaceful and orderly and move along, like anyone would be expectedto do ANY day of the week in our society.......but dont complain when you break the law and get arrested....
DZ
RE: OOOHHH PEACE RALLY ERUPTS IN VIOLENCE
by Traci S.
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 7:18 AM
You're saying that this rally erupted in violence when the only semi-violent incident that you can cite (b/c it was the only incident that took place) was the minor roughing up of a car. I was right there when that car tried to ram right through the large crowd of people who were walking down the street protesting. Someone didn't just get "bumped." The driver of that car was trying dilerberately to simply ram through the people. The DRIVER was being violent, the protesters who reacted, reacted as anyone who was being attacked would react. I don't agree with what they did, but I think that given what the driver was doing, it was understandable. That incident was the ONLY incident of the entire protest that comes close to being labeled as violent. So next time before you go out and declare that our PEACEFUL protest erupted in violence, make sure you know your facts. The only other violence that took place that night was the violence of the police towards the protestors. I happened to leave the protest a block before the police began to attack the protestors and arrest them and I can attest that the protest had continued to be peaceful at the time I left, less than five minutes before the police began their attack. Please, before you go and start bad-mouthing us, and blowing things way out of proportion, consider what really went on.
Nice Meltdown, Spaz.
by SlappyTheFrog
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 7:23 AM
mitch@hedberg.org
Did you just bash your head off of the keyboard for 10 minutes, or did you actually ponder what you were going to write before you did your best Tourette's impersonation?
Why don't you go wath the "real" news and cheer after the bombs go off as if you were watching your favorite team. I forget... are babies worth more points 'cause they're so small, or were the *women* worth more 'cause they could have more babies?
babies
by zeke
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 7:43 AM
babies are deffinetly worth more points. then they dont grow up to be sandniggers. if all you fucking pussy college kids want to protest give back your goverment loans and grants. little gut check huh? since none of you have the balls to back your ass i dont think it will happen. see ya friday at 430 ill bring eggs
if only...
by Beanloaf
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 8:20 AM
gregncass@earthlink.net
If only we could all focus on the subject at hand rather than hurling insults... I'm here simply to share my own experience from last night.
First of all, a little background. I was one of the leaders of the local peace movement when this war started 12 years ago. I've got at least a dozen arrests for civil disobedience under my belt. I once spent a lovely afternoon jailed with a group of prostitutes who, in the words of the police, were to teach me about real life. All in all, I've been around the block a few times...
I went to the march last evening to protest the newest escalation in our government's war against the people of Iraq. Yes, I was sad. Yes, I was angry. And yes, I was looking to disrupt the lives of a few people who other wise wouldn't give much thought to the murders committed in their names on the other side of the globe. I did not go to be beaten, harrassed, or arrested. Or to harrass anyone else for that matter. I was both proud and thrilled with the turn out and the overall nature of the event.
In the beginning, I was even impressed with the police. Theirs' is not an easy job. They allowed the march to follow its course. They allowed us to do what had to be done. I say that I was impressed with them in the beginning because I was on the South Side when they began to change their tactics. There, I was threatened with arrest for not disbursing. However, all possible paths to leave were blocked by the police. There I watched the first few of the arrests. I witnessed the police taunting my fellow protestors- people who on their orders had moved to the sidewalk. I saw a young man being slammed face first into the closed door of a paddy wagon while a billy club was used on the back of his head. I saw another young man pulled by his collar and neck from his bicycle. I saw an officer waving his club and yelling "who wants some!" I saw alot of things last night. However, the image that will stick in my mind is the one of hundreds of Pittsburghers (some students, many not) walking through the streets, watching the sun set. We were peaceful. We were loud. We made people take notice.
BAN THIS GUY FOR ABUSIVE LANGUAGE..
by BILL
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 8:22 AM
"if all you fucking pussy [SIC] college kids want to protest give back your goverment loans and grants. little gut check huh? since none of you have the balls to back your ass i dont think it will happen. see ya friday at 430 ill bring eggs"
BAN ZEZE FOR ABUSIVE LANGUAGE
WHat is the thinking?
by Dave Z
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 9:02 AM
"I was right there when that car tried to ram right through the large crowd of people who were walking down the street protesting. Someone didn't just get "bumped." The driver of that car was trying dilerberately to simply ram through the people. The DRIVER was being violent, the protesters who reacted, reacted as anyone who was being attacked would react. "
First off, if you impede my way of traveling lawfully down a street (made for vehicles, by the way), and you refuse to let me pass, well look out, because I would be upset too.....I would assume the worst (that I was in harm';s way) and look out for myself in that situation and get the hell out of there....
Why not just let the car thru peacefully??? NO! You guys had to block it and piss off the driver even more....why? Because you "had a message"....
SO WHAT?!!? You guys were "rallying" .....Your rally is more important than that guys getting home to his kids or second job??? Sorry to tell you, but not in HIS mind!
You folks need to wake up and udnerstand that while you have the right to voice your opines and be heard, you DONT have the right to interfere with what others need to do in THEIR lives.....
It's funny as hell to me....many here are saying how I am a sellout and I have "stepped in line"....you seemingly feel like rules and laws are for sellouts and that traditional public decency and accomodation for others should be ripped apart.....keep in mind that it is ALSO a "rule" that police dont just haul off and SHOOT folks in civial unrest...should we toss that rule too?
DZ
We are te ones
by Kaveh
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 10:02 AM
ravenkaa27@hotmail.com
Hello it was me and my father who were arrested. We ran into a "protester" who now we strongly believe was undercover. He agreed with everything we said. He said he taught art at CMU and then asked my father where he was from. My father replied "Iran" when we came across the bridge he had dissapeared and police surrounded us. My father demanded what the charges were and they refused to respond. I became very upset so then the threw me against the wall, twisted my arm, told me to shut up, and searched me. My dad saw a reporter he knew and made sure he got the info and told him to conact ACLU. This may have worried the police. We were sent to different places, I of course being 15, was sent with the juveniles. May I add that these juveniles were very true to the cause and we even started a chant while waiting handcuffed. The police later said they made a "mistake" and let me and my father go. We are still not sure what the reason for this was. However, the fact that we were arrested walking home and no charges being sated is a crime.
Please contact me
-Kaveh ravenkaa27@hotmail.com
Juveniles
by Che
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 10:06 AM
First of all you are juveniles. Second of all you are juveniles adn should stay off the streets. Besides, you lack the capacity to form solid reasonable opininos. Furthermore, YOU DONT VOTE SO KEEP WHAT EVER OPINION YOU MAY HAVE OFF OF THE STREET AT RUSH HOUR. Now go do you homework.
I was there
by Josh
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 10:07 AM
jlf12@pitt.edu
I was there last night and it was absolutely terrible. I took the T into downtown, so did not experience the havoc and chaos the police brought up on the protestors. I did see the police dragging away people in the southside if they chose to walk in the streets. One was a guy by the name of Mike Elk, he is a good kid who goes to high school around here, was dragged away before the rioting even began. When I saw the cops begin to swarm on people in that parking lot they corralled everybody in the southside. I was wondering if anyone knew what happened to the girl who they forced to leave. She was sick and sitting on the ground and the cop kept yelling at her to leave. I got rushed along and was just wondering if she was alright.
Yours in Solidarity,
Josh
Ignorant People
by Chris
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 10:24 AM
First of all, I have only read a few comments, and I am already disgusted. You ignorant white trash hicks dont care about anything but getting to work to work for someone else to get rich. There is a higher cause that you obviously are too ignorant to see. This is about people dying in a country. You only care about getting to work and doing your job, being someone else's slave. I have something to tell you: DEAL WITH IT. YOU SAY THAT THE "JUVENILES" CANT FORM OPINIONS? YOU ARE SO IGNORANT TO EVEN SAY THAT. WE ARE THE FUTURE, WE ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT. NOT YOU, US. I dont care how old you are, you do not understand that what happens with this war, my generation has to deal with it.
Do you think we care about your rush our? NO. I COULD GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOU GETTING TO WORK. SCREW YOUR JOB. IF YOU DONT WANT TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE IN THE STREETS, DONT COME OUT OF YOUR HOUSE. STAY IN YOUR HOLE AND KEEP READING ABOUT HOW "TERRIBLE" IRAQ IS.
You say we dont vote, Che. What does that have to do with anything? Just because this country doesnt give me, a person born in this country, the right to use my educated knowledge to vote? I bet you 50 bucks that my IQ is higher than yours. Its a proven fact that my generation of people are higher educated than that of the general population of older people. Dont tell me that I cant form reasonable opinions.
Get out of your shell Che. Think back to your highschool days. I bet you did more weed than 8 kids of this generation did. You have no idea what happens in schools these days. You dont know what goes on, what we talk about, and what we deal with.
I have a job. For the most part I have experience in the "real world" as most stupid people call it. There is no such thing as a real world. All the "real world" is is a bunch of BS that the school feeds us to motivate us to work harder. I have just as much experience in life that you do.
If I were you, I would just shut up. Every point you bring up is a desperate cry for something to criticize us on. Get over yourself, youre nothing better than us.
RIGHT ON CHRIS!!
by ..HJ
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 10:55 AM
GOOD POINTS !!
WHAT
by EVan N
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 11:21 AM
WE CANT HAvE OPINIONS BECAUSE WE ARE JUVENILES? I am almost of draft age buddy! i think i should have a say in if i get ordeered off to go die or not. before you go try and preach "democracy" give a little thought about what kind of elitist age-discriminatory democracy youre talking about
Draft Age
by M.N.Sah
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 11:30 AM
MNS@dogpile.com
Almost draft age? I guess you don't talk about politics, government or American history at school. This coutnry hasn't had a draft in about 30 years. So how in the hell could you be draft age. our armed forces are entirely made up of responsible American, young and old, who volunteer their time so you don't have to. That guy is right. You are not even voting age. stay off the streets. And since my generation has to deal with your problems now since we pay the taxes that pay teh police and judges who have to babysit you when you go out to play in your bogus rally, then I think you are our problem now. Where are your parents. Maybe there is some law agaisnt them not properly surpervising you while you are out causing property damage and riots. I have hope that you will grow out of this stupidity.
Draft
by Chris
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 1:35 PM
It is very possible that a draft may occur. Think about if things go wrong in the middle east and this war lasts an extra 4 years huh? Maybe you'd like to sit in your house watching CNN and be optimistic but the problem is, life isnt always optimistic. Things go wrong soemtimes. Dont tell us to stay off the streets. You have only the right of freedom of speech to tell me that. Otherwise, shut up. You dont own the streets, and if you bring up that you partially own them due to taxes, you can not pay taxes if you dont want to. We will be here when we want, and for however long we want to be. We arent going to stop just because someone who cares more about getting us off the streets to go to work than people dying.
Not to mention, he could be of drafting age. You are either stupid, or you didnt mean to type the line about him not being drafting age. Just because we havent had draft in 30 years doesnt make him non-drafting age. It also doesnt mean that we wont have a draft.
If you want to sit around and go on and on about your taxes, dont pay them. No ones forcing you to pay taxes? your just being threatened. If you dont want to pay your taxes you dont have to. You wont die from it, so dont do it.
Dont talk about about stupidity, because you are a prime example of stupidity. Think back to when you were in highschool. Im guessing that you were a little kid who was always obeying the rules, and always listening and accepting what others told you. Or maybe you werent. You could have been a rebel who thought for yourself. If you were the gullible little school boy who believed everything than I pity you. Otherwise if you were a rebel, than you are a hypocrite, and you shouldnt talk.
Dont call the rally bogus. Obviously you have no care for what goes on in Iraq, because if you truly did you would either be in a rally for the war or against the war. But you are probably the "normal" white man who stays at home and watches what the government wants to tell us about the war, and you form your opinions in your mind, not having any experience of war or anything similar. Just because you think this rally is bogus definetly does not mean that the millions of people around the world who ARE rallying do.
"one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter"
never believe what you think is right, unless you are confronting it.
now your going to do one of two things:
1: you could reply to me and make yourself look worse and be proven wrong again
or 2: you could just not even reply, save yourself and me some finger energy, and read up about war before you start calling our rally's bogus. go to http://www.google.com and look for some pictures of what happens in war, then tell me what you think about air-raiding a country the size of california.
-chris
Jail Sucks
by Rob
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 1:50 PM
I was luckily one of the first unjustifiably arrested protestors who was arraigned and released. As I write this account, many still remain at Allegheny County Jail to await their punishment. The majority of protestors have been charged with one or some of the following charges: Obstruciting Public Passage, Failure to Disperse, Inciting a riot, and disorderly conduct. Other charges may have been given, but I have not heard of any others.
Like many other protestors, our march consisted of nothing remotely illegal and tension with the police was present, but only a few tested their patience early. Later, a mass arrest of approx. 70 people took place (which I was a victim) undiscriminately detaining anyone within the area of the protest. Innocent bystanders were arrested and charged with crimes others may have been participating in, but had nothing to do with themselves.
I had no fear of arrest because I knew I had not broken any laws and I watched people around be thrown to the ground, pepper-sprayed, and verbally harrassed. These people, i believed, had assaulted police officers or remained in the street after the police warned them to move to the sidewalk. As long as I didn't assault a police officer and stay on the sidewalk as they instructed, I would not be arrested. I was wrong; after detaining people selectively, the police surrounded all other protestors in the immediate area and arrested everyone not lucky enough to be somewhere else. I was confronted by 2 police officers in full riot gear as I am simply staring in awe at the police taking what looked like gratification in throwing people to the ground and I was forcibly pushed against a wall with many other innocent people and then violently pushed into the wall, handcuffed and herded into buses and paddy-wagons.
The police brutality may have ended at this point, but their sheer stupidity remained throughout our prison stay. After about an hour and a half of driving to Allegheny Prison, at most a five minute drive, we are systematically herded like cattle into a long line of multiple searches, consisting of pat downs, confiscating foods, drinks, anti-war clothing, sewn patches, pins and most unfortunately, our cigarettes.
This line was surrounded by both sides of police officers, not responsible for any task, taunting with racial slurs, sexual harrasment, and mostly sheer stupidity. One officer, for instance said that if we were to protest the war in Iraq, we would have been executed. This was stupid and utterly contradictory to whatever it is they stand for (beating the innocent and keeping their weight up).
We arrived at ACJ at what I think was 9 PM, and I remained until about 12:00 PM, luckily one of the first to be released on two charges I am innocent of. While inside I heard many people's stories of how they were mistreated and what they had experienced. The police seemed to think we had this coming for not obeying their orders, which initially was to leave the street and march on the sidewalk, to disperse (which I did not hear anyone mention we needed to) the area immediately; and impossible task when you are surrounded by fat pigs, even larger with riot armor.
Many of my friends are still awaiting release nearly 24 hours after arrest, with 100 dollar bail (which many can not afford becuase most are students or young).
This whole experience has been a wake up call for me and many others that police brutaiity has been suddenly legalized and that our basic civil liberties are being taken away and I am slowly seeing this country turn to a pile of shit. This was a savage, obscene act carried out by the most powerful gang in Pittsburgh, the police, to suppress our freedoms without proper justification and was an act of pure ignorant hatred. Some of the police decided against indiscriminately attacking the protestors becuase some police have some compassion left for people's dignity and freedoms. I thought the police were oppressive before, they have now taken on a new form of organized evil justified by this time of war. Other things of note:
While searching people within the jail, police destroyed a man's backpack in front of me by cutting it with a knife off his back. Other accounts of things being stolen or mysteriously disappearing from the seized personal possesions have been mentioned by many inside the clink. I have now lost any faith in our system and am seriously considering leaving the country to avoid our seeming reversal in civil rights and decency.
wow
by Evan N
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 6:00 PM
That doesnt mean the draft could be reinstated in the future - with the way things are going? i wouldnt be suprised. Second of all i have a job and i pay taxes. third of all when you are old and decrepit and living in a third rate nursing home my generation will be taking care of you. fourth what riot are you talking about. quit making stuff up. a person threw a newspaper box then someone else retaliated to a violent act with the kicking of a bumper. thats not a riot, thats GREAT that a crowd that large didnt erupt in even more stuff like that. Also, as long as i live in this country, i am entitled to an opinion in this country. Where are my parents? They were calling me all throughout the rally to make sure i war okay. we discussed the march beforehand. my parents are anti-war, but due to the fact that they are working their asses off all the time doesn't let them attend. Also, i caused no property damage. Its pretty easy to associate one person's actions with a whole half of the united states, eh? are you so insecure about your arguments and your personal reasons to support the war that you have to fabricate evidence you know very well to be false to avoid accepting that you are an ignorant individual?
by the way
by Evan N
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 6:05 PM
forgot to ask:
anyone know if the solidarity group chilling outside of the courthouse is going to be there tommorow (saturday) ???
thankya
p.s. to the above person who posted about considering leaving the country: please dont, we need more people liek you here :)
the Draft and Selective Service
by Nathan J
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 6:27 PM
no draft? no problem!
the selective service requires that all united states male citizens register with them on their 18th birthday. this is so that if a draft lottery is ever authorized (by required legislation), the pool of potential draftees is already on file and ready to go.
so to recap: there IS a draft age, though there is no currently active draft. but all it would take is a piece of paper shuffled from one House to the other, and signed by the prez.
we are in jail
by Brian
Friday, Mar. 21, 2003 at 6:34 PM
artriotmedia@aol.com
We embraced the motto while in lock up, "we are in jail". The cops didn't seam to amused by the sign that was up on our window. It realy was rather fun up to the point where we were realy starting to worry about wether we were going to get out or not. We spent the majority of the time discussing tactics to avoid arrest next time. It was like a big anarchist party, where no one could leave and with no pot or beer unfortunatly. Next time we'll smuggle some in. I think if I felt it neccesary or if it accidentaly happened again, I wouldn't mind doing another 22 1/2 hours in jail. Next time hopefully I won't be worrying about my car being towed and maybe they'll learn to stop serving bologna to the vegitarians, which made up abouit 75% of us.
--brian
My Story, Pt. 1
by Sam
Saturday, Mar. 22, 2003 at 10:05 AM
I parked a few blocks from the Federal Building at around 4:30 p.m. When I got to the initial site of the rally, I walked around, greeted those I knew, chanted along with everyone else, etc. I was masked.
Someone from the Merton Center (who I won't name) told a group of us that there was something of an informal agreement with the cops. Basically, they wouldn't arrest as as long as there was no vandalism. Such agreements aren't uncommon at protests, and the source was reliable, so no one doubted it.
The march went on as planned for almost 3 hours. The cops didn't say or do anything that would have made us think they were going to arrest anyone. There were many honks of approval from passing cars. However, I saw at least one driver try to hit one of the demonstrators.
The problem started when it got dark. The police got increasingly obnoxious. They warned us to stay on the sidewalk, brandishing clubs. They picked off people to arrest one by one, seemingly at random.
Most everyone stayed on the sidewalk, as they were told. We crossed a bridge, headed back downtown. The cops began hitting anyone who even accidentally took up a few inches of the road. They brought in dogs to intimidate us. They kept making comments obviously intended to provoke. Two girls were walking on top of a rail separating the sidewalk from the road. They hit them with their clubs, demanding they get off. One of them got back onto the sidewalk. The other slipped onto the road (whether deliberately or unintentionally, I can't tell). The cops almost immediately grabbed the girl by the road. She wasn't fighting back. That didn't stop them from knocking her out.
The cops continued to pick off more people until we got to William Penn Place (all the way occupying THE SIDEWALK, just as the cops had instructed us).
More later... have to go retrieve the car that got towed because I was in prison...
In Response To Che lanulli
by Phoenix
Tuesday, Mar. 25, 2003 at 5:42 PM
I know that this post is late in coming, but anyways. Che you mention Nazi Germany, and how America's view of Germany as a sovereign nation being a view which should be deemed unacceptable. Because it delayed American military response, but you flaw in that comment.
By stating that nations should refrain from accepting the sovereignty of other nations then you are also stating that this war is unjust. Why, you wonder? The main argument for the U.S. to diregard the U.N.'s Security Council's method of declaring war is beacuase the U.S. is in fact a sovereign nation. In essence your argument destabilizes into the contradictory logical proposel that nations should not view sovereignty as legitimate, but that the U.S. should be a sovereign nation. This is in effect a paradoxial statement, that under no grammatical, nor lingual axiom has a resolution. Therefore, you are merely spurting out a list of convoulted views. This is rather pointless.
You also say that you hope this war gives us peace soon, but you should be informed that this is a preemptive war, which essentialy equates to a war that involves no provocation, but instead the feeling of the threat of coming provocation. Yet, another popular line of reasoning impaled upon the spear of paradoxial reasoning. For if your logic is vallid then you support an incidence in which say I thought the cadence of your person was somewhat threatning so therefore I struck you. This is senseless.
I would aswell like you to be informed that this is not my opinion, nor is it a twisting of words, it is the application of scientific reason to an axiomatic system of logical interactions, rather the vallidity of your ideas over a global reality, which is one in which we live. So, while you call us fools, you have ironicly contridicted yourself. If you feel inclined to engage in further debate please post a response I am truly curious to your thoughts, but if you do then please attempt to correctly spell(I found it hard to comprehend half of ehat you typed.).
Lastly, I apoligize to everyone else for the structure of this post, I really do not think it has much relevancy to the war. I would also like to say thank you for all of those members of h14 for making the situation lighter then it was, you helped me stay calm.
Reaction
by Finn
Friday, Jan. 26, 2007 at 9:40 AM
Nothing you say about our beloved Pittsburgh police (even to a conservative guy like myself) is a surprise. Really, nothing at all. The unfortunate truth is, there are a lot of bad eggs in that place. That said, there are those who don't derserve such a generalization; there are lots of good cops too. Here's my point: I have travelled the world and continue to do so. You are so much better off in Pittsburgh -yes, even in the hands of those bad cops- than you are anywhere else I can think of. And that's the truth too. Were you naive to think that getting arrested was going to be a reasonable experience? Perhaps. Are you naive to think there's less corruption elsewhere in the world? Absolutely.
Late reaction
by Bored
Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007 at 10:38 AM
Um, Finn, your reaction is about three years too late... hmm...
Druggies
by Patrone
Tuesday, Oct. 09, 2007 at 1:44 PM
thineownselfbetrue@yahoo.com 474-556-0268 900 south curry pike lot 43
Dear drug addicts~
You need to learn something, and I plan on teaching it to you. WhHAT YOU DO DOES NOT JUST AFFECT YOU! IT EFFECTS YOUR FAMILY, YOUR FRIEDNS, AUNTS, UNCLES, GRANDPARENTS, AND THE WORSE BEING YOUR CHILDREN! PEOPLE LOOK UP TO YOU! GIVE THEM AN EXAPLE THATS WORTH SOMETHING DAMMIT!
![[masthead]](/images/masthead_140.png)