PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Pittsburgh Police bully breakaway marchers
by Vireo Garden Sunday, Jan. 26, 2003 at 9:17 PM
woodswanderer@hotmail.com

A non-violent contingent shows solidarity in a breakaway march after Saturday's Parade for Peace. Despite minor bullying, the contingent remained strong and stuck to the streets as mounted officers used the bodies of their horses in an attempt to push them aside.

Pittsburgh Police bully breakaway marchers

A young woman shouted anti-war beat lyrics through a megaphone as a group of protesters reassembled along Carson Street in Pittsburgh to show that their march was not yet over. “We love Pittsburgh! We hate war!” was one of the many rally cries during a “breakaway march” after the Parade for Peace in Pittsburgh this weekend.

After several thousand people marched nearly twenty-five city blocks, the small group gathered around a core of drumming, dancing, and fluid chants as other marchers decided to escape Saturday’s cold weather. A group of guerrilla-clad drummers tapped an edgy cadence and formed a line as marchers reformed their ranks.

Roughly assembled, the group headed back down Carson Street towards Union Square where the parade originally began a few hours earlier. Two police officers on motorcycles swerved ahead of the group stopping city traffic and maintaining the marcher’s right-of-way and freedom of assembly.

Supporters honked their horns as the group passed them in the streets. Several cars had their windows down and critics of the protester shot insulting words that were easily drown out by drumbeats and chants.

No conflicts arose, but soon enough, police officers behind the crowd decided to move the renegade marchers off the street and onto the sidewalk as they headed into the increasing Saturday traffic in Pittsburgh.

Some marchers readily stepped aside avoiding any conflict, but a stalwart contingent remained in the street to lead their cause. Among the front line was a group of strong young women shouting their pulsing battle cry, “Off the sidewalks! Into Streets!

Officers in patrol cars swerved behind the crowd, flashed their lights, and sounded their sirens in an attempt to move the marchers onto the sidewalk. A megaphone bleaked from the car, “For your own safety, please get onto the sidewalk”. Many abided, but still followed along the sidewalk in support of the few ranks of dedicated marchers willing to face police scrutiny in the street. A forceful young man carrying an anarchist flag walked among the front and shouted token chants with his comrades, “No war for oil!”.

Mounted officers, who remained candid earlier after hearing protesters shouting, “Get those animals off their horse!”, also approached the stalwarts in an attempt to oust them from their course. Officers used the body of their horses to successfully bully a few “unlocked” marchers onto the sidewalk. Luckily, however, mounted officers soon enough backed off and did not show an excessive amount of force against the non-violent contingent.

People on the sidewalks and in the streets screamed and cheered as the officers dropped back and the marchers continued towards Station Square..

Earlier in the day, an employee of the Allegheny County Police Department, referring to the marchers, was quoted, “I’ll run them all over if it was up to me. I was in Vietnam”. Although, nothing like this did happen, it is apparent that not everyone in Pittsburgh agreed with the protesters antics. The marchers stood strong in both their support and opposition and celebrated their solidarity upon arriving once again at Station Square

Drums and chants faded and the crowd dissipated out of the cold. Hugs were exchanged and a few tearful faces left the crowd.

It is being said that this weekend’s marches are the largest in Pittsburgh since the 1960’s. However, perhaps something bigger is being said as people of all races and religions are gathering together to show disapproval of a rapid movement towards war by the United States government.. These young and old people alike that “broke away” from the mainstream and faced even the minor bullying from police and onlookers represent the strength and unity that can potentially collapse here in the United States as our government remains contrary to its inner voice. The problem exists that our government is dividing its own people in an escalation of violence and aggression that is alarming the entire world.

Peace.

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