PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

When your protector becomes your enemy
by Brian / John Saturday, Apr. 12, 2003 at 1:16 AM

A day of protesting comes to a violent end, and the police laugh at us.

A quiet and peaceful protest, composed of three 16 year olds simply holding a sign that says "Bush = Killer" with a body count of Iraqi civilians killed by our bombs and bullets was confronted by three misinformed Bush supporters. We walked at least 4 miles up and down West Liberty Ave. in Dormont and through Mt. Lebanon, and everything went well. Of course we got the occasional finger, but it seems we got more thumbs up than "fuck you"s. It ended around 8:30pm walking towards the Co-Gos in Dormont, where we were confronted by these three adamant Bush supporters, who thought it would be cool to grab up and rip our sign up. They were at least 20-25 years of age, and they ran up to us, grabbed us, threw us up against a glass door and a brick wall at Campiti's. We stood our ground and tried to pull our sign back, but they tore it up anyway. We ran inside the restaurant and dialed 911. We were surprised, within only 10 seconds 3 squad cars reported to the scene, with the guys who slammed us up against the wall speeding off in their cars. The police had asked what happened, and the second they heard we had a "Bush = Killer" sign, they started smirking, rolling their eyes, and laughing at us. They told us we were just trying to get attention and thought it was a big joke. The people in the restaurant said they hadn't seen anything, even though they saw the whole thing. After about 5 minutes, a very nice woman came out and told the police what had happened. Even though her story was the exact same thing as ours, the police still tried to say we were lying and wouldn't take us seriously. They said our sign was "cute", sarcastically. We called them because we were looking for help, and all we got was a spit in the face by Dormont's finest.

John: I am sad to say that before this happened I hadn't thought cops were that bad, because of their fair treatment at the J26th rally in Oakland, but now...oink oink.

www.radicalizepittsburgh.no-ip.org

Your Story
by Rovin' Workman Saturday, Apr. 12, 2003 at 8:00 AM

I'd be inclined to believe this story, but then you link to a non-existant site (apparrently), which leaves me wondering about the authenticity of the events.

the site
by John Saturday, Apr. 12, 2003 at 5:35 PM

The site is under construction, and is gonna be linked right once we get the apache server up. ..just because the link doesn't work yet doesn't mean we're lying.

well, if its true-way to go
by J Saturday, Apr. 12, 2003 at 7:38 PM

I live right by there. Too bad I didn't see what happened.. I would have backed you!!

no www.
by Brian Saturday, Apr. 12, 2003 at 11:38 PM

sorry there is no www.

the site is:

http://radicalizepittsburgh.no-ip.org/

it is under construction still. we still have to learn cgi and write articles, but i have high expectations for it : )

radicalizepittsburgh.no-ip.org/

OK
by Rovin' Workman Sunday, Apr. 13, 2003 at 1:23 AM

So I stand corrected in my assumption. Apologies. It's good to hear about things like this (the fact that you were on the streets, not that you were harassed). I would recommend listing other sites as "links" instead of "affiliates." Keep up the good work!

.
by John Sunday, Apr. 13, 2003 at 11:44 AM

I consider them our affiliates, we're all brothers in the same cause, we're all affiliated. Working together.

Good job!
by Jan Sunday, Apr. 13, 2003 at 12:07 PM
toney7799@cs.com

I like your website! We need more people becoming aware! Don't forget to include the anti-war/day of resistance march and rally on april 26! (Found on the pittsburgh organizing group webpage) http://www.organizepittsburgh.org/
If anyone needs rides (who are from brookline, mt. lebo, dormont) contact me.
Keep working for peace and freedom!

www.geocities.com/celeste713/index.html

Of course
by Sam Monday, Apr. 14, 2003 at 9:52 AM

M20 should have taught everyone one thing:

You cannot, under any circumstance, trust the police.

Even if they are not themselves horrible people, they could very well be taking orders from horrible people. And there exists among police a "code of silence" -- that is, they generally won't acknowledge misconduct by their fellow officers.

yeah dude
by Evan N Monday, Apr. 14, 2003 at 10:32 AM

i'd believe the story its somehting that would actually happen. and to the person above who offered rides to people from dormont/lebo, i know as a mt. lebanonite that it is much easier and faster to take teh T from dormont or lebanon than drive down, the T stop gateway center will get you to the point and back. support public transportation while your at it.

by the way
by Evan N Monday, Apr. 14, 2003 at 10:34 AM

i live right near washington road so next tiem you guys are goign to do something like that i'll join you - evbo444@hotmail.com

dormont...
by .... Monday, Apr. 14, 2003 at 11:01 AM

yay dormont...
i live in dormont go to KO and work at one of the A plus's, so i deal with the cops alot (coming in to drink coffee stand around and talk etc. etc.) and it's really not that surprising you had those issues, upsetting cuz some of the dormont cops are really nice, but not surpriseing...
it just seems to be the mentality of so many people anymore...

we're with you
by mike Monday, Apr. 14, 2003 at 3:52 PM

I am 38 years old, and I have never been in trouble with the law, except for one unpaid traffic ticket.

That said, I have personally experienced several instances where I or people I was with were attacked and the police did nothing to protect us or detain our attackers, despite witnesses and evidence in our favor.

The hard truth is that most cops are hostile bullies, and they admire aggression and they relate to power without accountability. For many of them,this explains the high rates of depression, substance abuse, domestic violence, self-hatred and failed relationships they suffer. This testimony is not mere speculation,but my direct observations of different 'police' persons I've personally known in my life.

Whatever you do following this attack, please, please do not blame yourselves. Rather, continue to tell your story.

Together, we are strong and the cops are afraid of us. More importantly, many of them hate themselves and what they represent. From what I've read, you and your friends have what they lack: self-confidence and the ability to seek out and understand truth and beauty.

Keep it up!

Your Friend,

Mike

I HATE COPS

Pittsburgh Copwatch?
by Sam Monday, Apr. 14, 2003 at 8:12 PM

Time to start one?

public transportation
by Jani Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:48 AM

I do support public transportation. But did you hear that they are really thinking about cutting all service on evenings and weekends. Doesn't that suck, and not make any sense? It's like they are telling people who don't have cars- tough shit, you can't go to any sports games (even though sports in overpriced UNneeded sports stadiums via our UNvoted tax dollars suck) , they can't go shopping, or even go to work!!! It makes me sooooo fucking mad.
My boyfriend has a car and he lives in Bunola (That's a hick town way out miles past Elizabeth). The bus doesn't go there. So he needs a car to get to work, school, shop, etc. He also takes his car when he comes to Dormont/Brookline to see me. So, since he has a car already there and I have no money for busfare , we will most likely take his car to the protest!! Understand? Why do people automatically judge you if you have a car? It's a compact car. Its not a gas hogging SUV (or Hummer-- HUmmers are stupid) BUt anyway, some people really DO need cars. What's my boyfriend supposed to do? Ride a bike 25 miles? (And it really is about 25 miles to town from Bunola).

Mike
by jani Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:54 AM

And I liked what you said, Mike, about cops. Its true. People who feel the need to feel power usually join professions where they have instant power, like the police.
It's sick, the police are supposed to be protecting the people's interests, not those in power. The police are responsible for keeping a distance between us and the elite. Most of the time, they carry out orders like trained baboons.

---
by Evan N Wednesday, Apr. 16, 2003 at 7:24 AM

no one judged you because you have a car. I just said the T runs right by where those guys wereso it is convinient to hop on there to get to downton

sorry
by Jani Wednesday, Apr. 16, 2003 at 5:46 PM

I apologize then.

south hills?
by T Friday, Apr. 25, 2003 at 12:37 PM

all these people live by me??

i live in brookline. who else lives around there. it would be cool to meet up with some of you sometime.

brookline
by j Friday, Apr. 25, 2003 at 9:23 PM

I live in brookline as well. I am going to the reconvergence tomorrow. Who's coming from brookline/southhills? Maybe we could all go tomorrow together????