When I started covering G20 events, I had no strong opinions about the protestors or their actions. I planned on shooting video both out of my own curiosity and to be there in case bad things happened so I could be yet another camera to show what really happened, whether it was abusive police or destructive protestors. The actions of the police have started to change that. When I see law enforcement using excessive force, intimidation, or otherwise violating the rights of people who are doing nothing wrong, I get a little pissed off.
Here’s the Post-Gazettes story about last night’s police action where even one of their reporters was arrested. Keep in mind – the local media has been telling us for weeks that the protestors are all out of town anarchists and such and most people seem to be stuck on that idea. What little coverage the mainstream media has given has been of the “violent protestors clash with police” variety, which is bullshit from what I have seen in the last few days. The conflict on Thursday in Lawrenceville didn’t result in vandalism until the police started using tear gas and such. I don’t mean to say that the vandalism is in any way acceptable, but let’s at least keep the facts straight. Last night most of the people confronted or attacked by police were students or other people who were not doing a damned thing wrong except not following orders. But this is still America – we don’t have to get authorization from the police to take a walk outside.
I would also like to point out that last night’s takeover of Pitt campus happened while the city and police were busy patting themselves on the back for apprehending the ONE GUY they say is responsible for the damage after the Lawrenceville incident. Wow! They got the bad guy – YAY! So why were they chasing and herding students around Oakland?!
From Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
“In a repeat of a scene from Thursday night, police in riot gear confronted another crowd of more than 400 students and young people on the University of Pittsburgh campus last night.
An estimated 110 protesters were arrested after hundreds of police arrived and dispersed the crowd with a show of force and clouds of OC gas. Those arrested were taken into custody on the lawn between Heinz Chapel and the Cathedral of Learning.
Among the arrested was Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Sadie Gurman who was taken into custody while filing reports for the Post-Gazette’s web site and print edition. Ms. Gurman, who was wearing Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh summit media credentials around her neck when arrested before midnight, was released from jail shortly after 9 a.m. today…”
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09269/1001054-100.stm#ixzz0SEkYVWRC
