Sunday, 27 September 2009
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Pittsburgh Is Being Turned Upside Down
Police have fired mini "bean bags" and used tear gas in clashes with masked protesters attempting to march on the G20 summit in Pittsburgh. About 1000 people, some wearing goggles and brandishing anti-capitalist banners, are trying to reach the venue.
As the group left the city park where they had gathered in defiance of a ban on non-authorized rallies, police broadcast a pre-recorded announcement in English and Spanish declaring their protest an "unlawful assembly".
"If you do not disperse you may be subject to arrest or other police action," the message warned. Some protesters appeared to heed the warning, but most pushed on, despite signs that police were attempting to surround them.
Shortly afterward, riot officers blocked their path and fired tear gas grenades, as a cat and mouse game developed in side streets.
"They pushed us into a side street in a residential area and then shot tear gas at us. They shot like three canisters," said demonstrator Ross McCoy.
Read more about this story here
What do you think of the riots? Have you even been in a protest?
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- From: BarryDadof3@xanga
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Comments (32)
people have the right to peaceably assemble. so as long as they were peaceful (though the masks are a bit unnerving), they have the right to protest.
All of these people had their basic rights violated, so long as they were not violent or intending violence. The nation should be up in arms.
@JadedJanissary@xanga -
I agree :)@JadedJanissary@xanga - I agree
Please, have you ever seem the film "Battle in Seattle"? As I am told, it's pretty much completely accurate. I can only hope that one day I get gassed and arrested by police thugs. Of course the fascist propaganda machine of the far right, like Fox News, already has used this as a reason to contend that power hungry politicians with dictatorial aspirations are fine so long as they are Republicans.
@scrambledmegsntoast@xanga - My memory tells me that movie is totally inacurate. If you know anything about the Seattle police you would not have believed anything in that moves. Or if you were like me and knew people in the fat Tuesday riot. The Seattle police are total wimps who let criminal gang bangers beat people senseless and kill a guy because they were afraid.
Maybe it was a security thing. You never know when someone is going to pull out a gun and shoot. I took part in a nuclear war protest once. Someone in a passing car yelled out some derogatory comment. On of the protesters yelled back that they would be riddled with guilt. One of the girls at the meeting said to him not to reply to that kind of ignorance. I said "You're both right".
my boyfriend lives out there. you dont fucking let people congregate in such close proximity around the worlds top leaders, peaceful or not. most of the protests were unscheduled and did not have a warrant, thus they gave up their right to be there. they were even given a chance to leave. bf said that despite ten minutes of consistent warning from police, protesters stuck around. personally, im thankful for those cops. my boyfriend isnt dead, and pburg didnt wind up with couches lit on fire in the street like they did after the unexpected win of Pitt over WVU last year. learn what the hell youre talking about before you knock it. if i was a cop, i wouldnt want to be held responsible for a couple terrorists sneaking into the mix in an unscheduled event, and im pretty sure none of you would appreciate that happening either, although frankly most of you make it sound like you can so easily tell the difference.
@JadedJanissary@xanga - In the video they are seen pushing dumpsters into cars/police. I guess they considered that violent.
That's outrageous.
@the_life_of_pie@xanga - A peaceable protest on public property requires no permit or scheduling. It's a basic right. If you're not breaking laws, they can't legally stop you.
Scratch that, it has come to my attention via research that they passed a law recently requiring you to acquire permits prior to holding a protest.
To which I can only say: what is the point of a protest if you must get permission to do it from the very people you are protesting against? It's unconstitutional and so I give it no credence. It is invalid.
@ElliottStrange@xanga - I agree
@the_life_of_pie@xanga - Protesting is kinda different than setting couches on fire because your favorite football team won, haha. I'm not sure what the connection is there.
"you dont fucking let people congregate in such close proximity around the worlds top leaders, peaceful or not." I agree, let's keep world leaders even more insulated and distant from people they're ruling over. God forbid they be annoyed to the slightest degree by pesky protesters.
Forget protesters, it was the traffic that killed all of us.
I live in Pittsburgh... there were protesters who apparently needed to smash windows and ATMs.
That's not protesting, that's being a moron.
Many workers who actually work in the city were put out by these fools. It's one thing to protest responsibly, but another thing to vandalize our city.
Why would anyone take pity on these idiots? They were asked to leave because they did not have a permit. They reacted with violence. They got what they deserved. Yeah, they're really marching for a cause--anarchy. I would bet that most of these protestors are teenagers and college students raised in a comfortable middle-class suburb. Lets see the whiners last a day without law enforcement in the wild west social structure they preach. My Dad used his vacation time and flew to Pittsburgh from Chicago to do security at G20. People need to stop hating cops. They put their lives on the line every day for chumps like these. I'm all for a peaceful protest for a good cause, but this is just absurd. Oh, and yes you do need a permit when leaders from all over the world are in one area at the same time. President Obama was just arriving when this nonsense took place.
I was surprised but glad to see this post front-paged. I had a friend who was up there over the weekend and witnessed the violence first hand. After I read his account of what had happened, I was downright disgusted. Here are a few links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFYoyv2Gm1I <---- this video makes my stomach turn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB3wlYZwu8g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etv8YEqaWgA
I am all for peaceful protests. However, in a lot of the videos I have watched, protestors were throwing things at police, threatening them, clearly threatening the convention. A lot of people who are getting hurt are also rubber neckers. People who thought it would be cool to hang out and see a riot, then get upset when they get caught up in the violence. Stay home if you aren't a part of the protests. So, props to those doing peaceful protests, and the rest shouldn't be surprised that when they throw a rock or a bottle at a police officer that they get a little peeved.
wow.
Nope
they're protesting a ban on unauthorized protesting?? why not just have an authorized rally? then i'd be more outraged by the police action. i mean, they basically got what they asked for.
@ElliottStrange@xanga - thanks for saying what i was going to say. it makes the whole 'expressing my opinion' thing a lot easier.
i was going to write a detailed argument against everyone who is talking out of their ass; but it's not worth the argument. thank gov we don't need a permit for freedom of speech. all i can say is that i wish thomas jefferson was around.
@allofmylovee@xanga - There's nothing to be gained by arguing with people who are willing to relinquish what little freedom they have to feel safe. Fight when it matters; let the plebeians do as they like.
I go to school there but i left and went home for the weekend. but most of the "protesters" were students just trying to see what was going on and not hurting anybody. Not even really protesters. I saw some of the youtube videos and heard my friends stories. police are crazy
@JadedJanissary@xanga - I second that.
The difference between the U.S and France is that the French government fears the people, in the U.S, the people fear the government. If the rally was non-violent, the police didn't have to resport to suck brutal methods.
- Kunoichi