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Three demonstrations merged in Pittsburgh on Saturday, following a week of protests after a bike marshal who was helping to clear traffic during a Civil Saturdays march through Oakland was arrested by rifle-wielding, plain clothes Pittsburgh Police officers and taken away in an unmarked white van one week ago today. Today’s first demonstration began with the 13th Civil Saturdays, organized by Pittsburgh’s youth-led Black, Young, and Educated, in East Liberty. Last week, during a press conference about the marshal’s arrest, Pittsburgh Police criticized Civil Saturdays protesters and claimed that the group was failing to communicate beforehand with police about any protest routes and other details from their ongoing marches.
On Monday, Black, Young, and Educated leaders held their own press conference, where co-founder Nick Anglin addressed the crowd.
“Do your jobs better and maybe we wouldn’t have to be in the streets every Saturday,” said Anglin.
During’s today’s protest, hundreds marched from East Liberty to Point Breeze, shouting heated chants, including, “Hey, hey, FOP! How many kids have you killed today?”
The marched continued toward Wilkinsburg, where it merged and formed a single group with the second demonstration of the day, Justice for Romir Talley, led by the group Pittsburgh, I can’t Breathe. Talley was a 24-year-old who was shot and killed by Wilkinsburg police last December.
Protesters gathered near a mural in honor of Talley that was recently painted over, then marched to the Wilkinsburg police department where various speakers, including members of his family, shared stories about Talley and demanded answers.
The third, and final, demonstration of the day, “Free Lorenzo, The People’s Protester,” followed as both groups marched down Penn Avenue towards Point Breeze, past Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto’s house and into Mellon Park, the site where Pittsburgh Police escalated a protest on Wednesday night with pepper spray, projectiles, and apparent kettling. (Peduto released a statement on Friday, announcing changes to the police department, following this event.)
Point Breeze is also the location where activist Lorenzo Rulli was arrested last night for “three misdemeanors, including disorderly conduct, obstructing the administration of the law, and possession of an instrument of crime, a megaphone,” according to WESA, and the reason for the final protest of the evening.
The night ended just before 9 p.m. after a rain storm, with protesters telling marchers to keep coming to Civil Saturdays and to “Please get home safe.”
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- The son of Romir Talley looks out of the car window as protesters carry signs in honor of his father during a protest in Wilkinsburg.
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- Tasha Talley, mother of Romir Talley, covers her face while talking about her son during a protest while surrounded by family in Wilkinsburg.
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
- CP Photo: Jared Wickerham
This article appears in Aug 19-25, 2020.
