community-based, non-corporate, participatory media
community-based, non-corporate, participatory media
Activism Friday morning
by Patrice
Saturday, Sep. 28, 2002 at 7:10 PM
petie67@hotmail.com Pgh, PA
How the activism went in terms of actions.
The Pgh Organizational Group started their activism at about 7 am Friday morning. After a quick 'practice march' to a local school, they were on the way to their intersection. Upon arrival, they discovered that their area was pretty vast, but they were up to the challenge. By sitting in the street and holding a banner, they had commuters pretty pissed off for about 15 min. From there, they converged into a march and headed down the streets into the city keeping their presence strong by chanting and handing out literature to local workers. Don't let this fool you though, the cops kept a great presence as well, via bikes, foot and cars. Continuing through many blocks, the law finally surrounded the kids with a thick web of billy clubs and kevlar, pushing and josteling them at every chance. The activists retained a strong stand though, demanding to know why they were being detained, and then getting no response from them. After about 7 min. the people that showed ID were let free, and shortly after everyone else was released. Throughly pissed, the group headed towards the park across from Freedom Plaza, where activists were begining to merge.
It was a celebration of voices, with signs and drums being utilized to send messages against corportate greed and Iraq. Everyone was enjoying the atmosphere, dancing and learning living. The critical mass riders passed by the oppisite side of the park, and mass law enforcement followed. The police had then surrounded the park containing about 600 people. They slowly came together, making either 'law' perimiter smaller, but thicker. Some rows had police on horseback, and some were as deep as 6 officers back. Then, the arrests began. They arrested all the people, and were relatively non-violent. Now, the word "people" is being used here, because the crowd was filled with media, watchers, bystanders and one confirmed 'jogger'. All of these people had their bags taken from them, were handcuffed, and place on public transportation buses labeled 'special' and were taken away.
Many were taken to a police academy and others downtown, but in both cases, the 'protesters' were held on buses for cruely long periods of time, with the minimum being 7 hours and the max of about 16. From there, they were cuffed from wrist to foot and placed in a gymnasium until the next day, were most paid $50 to be released on charges of 'Failure to Obey and Officer'. People that were taken downtown had to pay $100 to be released.
Cuffed!
by Patrice
Saturday, Sep. 28, 2002 at 7:10 PM
petie67@hotmail.com Pgh, PA
Being cuffed is not cool.
Singing
by Patrice
Saturday, Sep. 28, 2002 at 7:10 PM
petie67@hotmail.com Pgh, PA
Members of the Pittsburgh Radical Cheerleaders sang protest/activism songs to entertain the bus crowd. :-)
Police Acd.
by Patrice
Saturday, Sep. 28, 2002 at 7:10 PM
petie67@hotmail.com Pgh, PA
Outside the jail, finally let off of the bus, but still waiting to be taken inside.
![[masthead]](/images/masthead_140.png)