CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
Protesters outside Mayor Bill Peduto's house in Point Breeze on Tue., Aug. 18.
The protest followed the arrest of a bike marshal at a Civil Saturdays demonstration on Sat., Aug. 15, when he was grabbed and put into an unmarked white van by rifle-wielding, plainclothes Pittsburgh Police officers on charges of disorderly conduct, failure to disperse, and obstructing highways. In a press conference about the event, Pittsburgh Police put blame on protest organizers for not consulting with them about their planned protest route.
Met outside of Mayor Peduto's house with a handful of Pittsburgh Police on bicycles and two officers from their Civil Affairs unit, demonstrators declared they'd be spending the night, even inflating and placing an air mattress on the sidewalk in front of the mayor's home. Pizza and water was delivered throughout the night to keep everyone fed and hydrated while chants, chalk writing, music, and dancing continued into the night. Many neighbors stepped outside of their homes to witness the group throughout the evening, with some offering help and others taking to social media asking the mayor to speak to the protesters to put an end to the demonstration.
There were still at least 100 protesters remaining when Pittsburgh City Paper left the scene shortly after midnight. On Wednesday morning around 10 a.m., Pittsburgh Police declared it an unlawful assembly, turning off a siren being sounded by demonstrators, according to TribLIVE, and the remaining protesters left the area.
At around 11 a.m., Mayor Peduto was seen arriving back at his home, according to WESA reporter Ariel Worthy, confirming that he was not at home during last night's protest.
"I have long defended First Amendment rights to peacably protest," says Mayor Peduto in a statement released this morning. "I strongly believe that Black Lives Matter, that we are in a historic fight for civil rights in this country, and that it is right for people to take to the streets to demand much-needed reforms to policing in our cities.
"What I cannot defend is any neighborhood in our city — and their residents and families — being disturbed through the night and morning, and a peaceful protest devolving into unacceptable conduct in which residents are being harassed and threatened."
Photos from the march to Mayor Peduto's house continues below.
At around 11 a.m., Mayor Peduto was seen arriving back at his home, according to WESA reporter Ariel Worthy, confirming that he was not at home during last night's protest.
"I have long defended First Amendment rights to peacably protest," says Mayor Peduto in a statement released this morning. "I strongly believe that Black Lives Matter, that we are in a historic fight for civil rights in this country, and that it is right for people to take to the streets to demand much-needed reforms to policing in our cities.
"What I cannot defend is any neighborhood in our city — and their residents and families — being disturbed through the night and morning, and a peaceful protest devolving into unacceptable conduct in which residents are being harassed and threatened."
Photos from the march to Mayor Peduto's house continues below.
