PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Breakaway march snakes through Oakland, Shadyside
by Andy Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2003 at 6:38 PM
arm58@pitt.edu Pittsburgh IMC

As some protestors settled down with blankets in front of the Software Engineering Institute for the die-in, about 100 headed off down Dithridge Street for an impromptu snake march through Oakland and Shadyside.

The mostly black-clad crowd proceeded down Forbes Avenue past Bellefield into oncoming traffic chanting slogans like "Whose streets? Our streets!" and "We won't die for oil!" They then turned up Bigelow Boulevard, passing the Cathedral of Learning, and turned again onto Fifth Avenue, heading toward the business district of Oakland. They held off four lanes of traffic for about 5 blocks, then turned down Meyran Street, pausing momentarily at the Marine Corps recruiting office, where a window was broken, reportedly by a flagpole.

The march continued back up Forbes Avenue to Craig amidst many cheers and a few jeers, then turned up Craig and passed the die-in, which was beginning to dwindle. It continued up Craig to Centre, where participants turned, heading toward Shadyside.

At no point during the march did police act as anything more than escorts. Traffic was stopped for the marchers and at no point did they try to force the crowd in another direction, beyond moving the marchers from the streets to the sidewalks.

When the protestors passed a Starbucks a chant of "Fuck off Starbucks!" broke out and a slushball was thrown at the window, but no damage was done.

The march then found Fifth Avenue again and returned to the site of the die-in, which had dwindled to three participants and a group of supporters. Soon the die-in ended without arrest, and the march disbanded with much celebration.

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