Lately we have been closely following the G-20 global summit in Pittsburgh Pa. Needless to say some of the reports that we’ve heard were very disturbing to say the least. If you didn’t know that PA is a police state well you do now in particular the second largest city in PA displayed what some people call excessive force.
Below is recount from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette of what went down during the G-20 Summit:
Protesters: Police triggered mayhem
5:26 pm
From Paula Ward, David Templeton and Rich Lord
Some of the protesters arrested yesterday said today that police overreaction caused much of the mayhem that bled from the afternoon into the night in Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, Shadyside and Oakland.
Ryan Beaupit, a 17-year-old Pitt freshman, said he was just trying to get away from advancing riot police and was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He said he was sprayed with some kind of gas and wrestled to the ground around 11: 45 p.m. He has a gash near his knee, marks on his back and other mild injuries.
He was arrested when police caught him in a stairwell leading up to the pedestrian bridge crossing above Forbes Avenue.
“I think the police overreacted,” he said, adding they also “made rude comments to me” and threatened him with jail if they caught him again.
“It’s not something I want to experience again.”
Similarly, Josh Berman, an 18-year-old Pitt Freshman, said he was trying to obey an order to disperse, but found tear gas behind him and police coming from both sides. He pulled on a bandana and goggles to protect himself from gas, which seemed to earn him the ire of the police.
“As soon as I put that bandana and goggles on, every cop, I could not get away,” he said. “I’m running serpentine pattern to get away from the rubber bullets, and every cop was trying to get me.”
He was accused of throwing rocks at police, which he denied, though he admitted to verbally expressing frustration at the police presence.
“Everywhere I go, it was people in riot [gear] hassling me,” he said. “It’s a civilian city, and it was run by police officers, and people can’t even do their own thing.”
Albert Petrarca, 59, a veteran protester, said that the Lawrenceville march was peaceful until it was hit with tear gas, forcing protesters to scatter in running-of-the-bulls chaos.
Later, when police ordered marchers to disperse, he was reminded of the footage from protests in Tianenmen Square in 1989 when a lone man stood before the tanks. He sat down in the street and raised both hands into peace signs.
“An officer came up to me and politely said, ‘You have to move or you’re going to be arrested.’ “They were very polite. I had no complaints.”
After he was taken into custody, he – along with all the other arrestees – was taken to be processed at SCI-Pittsburgh. He and eight others were released together at about 10 p.m., and they all made their way to Oakland where a large crowd had gathered at Schenley Plaza. He said that gathering originally only contained around 50 anarchists, but they were joined by a mass of Pitt students.
Those arraigned yesterday ranged in age from late teens to late fifties. While many were released on no bond, pending hearings next week, some were held on bond ranging from $3,000 to $10,000, payable at 10 percent.
Lauren Wasson, 23, of Garfield, was charged with obstruction of highways and aggravated assault after she “threw bicycle at Officer [Shawn] Dady, striking Officer Dady with it,” according to the police criminal complaint. Her bond was set at $10,000, payable at 10 percent.
Is it me but is it becoming more and more obvious that this Obama administration does not seem to concerned for the common folk. When did protesting become illegal and why were the police allowed to use to much excessive force? Is this a sign of the things to come?
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Word on the street is that this is bull. You never mentioned the fact they they had no permit. The march of thousands on Friday WITH A PERMIT was allowed to process through the city PEACEFULLY until they reached the designated spot across the river from the convention center where they assembled and spoke. I’m all for freedom of speech and the right to assemble, but since I live in the neighborhood where the damage was done I’ve seen what a joke this group is. How much credit do you think breaking windows and trashing neighborhoods merits? None. Tipping dumpsters and throwing trash as they ran through the alleys does not give credit to your cause. You trashed a neighborhood of hard working citizens that do not deserve to bear the expense of your pitiful protest. The G-20 may be a disgrace but your protest was a bigger one.