PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Crowd protests Bush, arrests made
by Danny P Monday, Apr. 19, 2004 at 5:20 PM
dannyp@indypgh.org

A crowd gathered today to protest the presence of President George W. Bush in Pittsburgh. Police arrest peaceful protesters.

A crowd gathered today outside the convention center in downtown Pittsburgh (near Penn and 10th) to express opposition to President Bush. Bush was holding a fundraising dinner, charging wealthy republicans thousands of dollars a plate to raise money for the upcoming Presidential campaign.

The crowd was a couple feet off of the sidewalk and into the driveway of the convention center, with people participating in the black bloc tactic acting as a buffer between the rest of the crowd and the police. Barking dogs intimidated the crowds, and after a good amount of time the police, for no apparent reason, suddenly used their bikes to push the crowd out of the driveway and onto the sidewalk.

The mood then quieted a little, with people sitting around and some people going home. A few people wearing black started walking down the sidewalk away from the crowd, and were hassled by police and ultimately hit by the police, thrown to the ground, and arrested. When more people went up and tried to see what was going on, they were arrested to.

The targets appear to be community leaders and women. Police solidarity is underway and ongoing. To get to the jail where the prisoners are being held, take the T until the First Avenue station. The jail is right next door.

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