Peace protest ends in arrest

A march against the United States’ current occupation of Iraq came to a sudden end when one… A march against the United States’ current occupation of Iraq came to a sudden end when one man was arrested along Fifth Avenue on Sunday.

The march was part of an afternoon that included a potluck picnic and a rally, organized by the Thomas Merton Center and the Pittsburgh Organizing Group.

During the rally in Schenley Park, police cars remained stationed above Flagstaff Hill, across from Phipps Conservatory. But when the rally ended and the march began, police cars followed about one hundred marchers through Carnegie Mellon University’s campus, across Forbes Avenue to Fifth Avenue, and toward Pitt.

After crossing Forbes Avenue, many of the marchers began to walk in the streets. But when the marchers reached Craig Street, one of the police officers following the group in his car warned marchers to return to the sidewalk or be arrested.

Tim Vining, TMC’s executive director, said the policeman’s request that the marchers return to the sidewalk was reasonable, because the marchers had not sought a permit beforehand.

Marchers continued down Fifth Avenue, obeying the police order. But at the corner of Bellefield Avenue and Fifth Avenue, near Saint Paul’s Church, one man, Joseph Reichenbacher, went into the street, causing several police officers to exit their cars. Six officers helped to get the man under control and into a paddy wagon, which was already on the scene.

Reichenbacher was charged with disorderly conduct, obstructing a highway and criminal mischief. Zone 6 police did not have information concerning whether he has been released.

In response to his arrest, several marchers soon began to curse at the officers, who had returned to their cars. The marchers said they were fighting to end the United States’s military involvement in Iraq because they wanted to save money to help fund domestic programs – including the police force. They added that it was hypocritical for the police to arrest them for it.

Some marchers began chanting, “Let him go,” “The whole world is watching,” and “This is what a police state looks like.”

When the marchers followed the man who was being taken into custody, police asked them to disperse and warned that more arrests would be made if they stayed.

Almost immediately, most of the marchers left the area. A few crossed the street, though, sat on the lawn of Pitt’s Music Building, and began to sing protest songs.

According to Vining, Reichenbacher had participated in other rallies, and was arrested a few years ago for similar activities.

“It was sad that anyone was arrested,” he added. “We support [Reichenbacher] in whatever he needs.”

Despite the way the march ended, Vining said the group succeeded in showing their opposition to the United States’s role in Iraq. He added that it’s important for people to get back out on the streets to voice their concerns.

But not every marcher agreed with Vining’s appraisal of the arrest.

“The police made that arrest, not because anyone was breaking the law, but because we didn’t have the numbers to protect our First Amendment right,” marcher Damon Krane said.

Unless more people become active, the police will continue to be able to stop protesters, he added.

At the rally held earlier in the afternoon, several people performed for the group sitting in the park.

Phat Man Dee sang for the group a collection of classic American songs – with a twist at the end.

Dressed all in red, with two patches of hair on the sides of her head, Phat Man Dee, received applause from the crowd at the end of her rendition of “What a Wonderful World” when she sang, “George Bush, in spite of yourself; I think to myself, what a wonderful world.”

After her song, she criticized the current administration leaders for thinking “thou shall not kill” applies to everyone except them, and for leaving the war in Iraq to be fought by the poor.

“Politicians hide themselves away,” she said. “They only started the war – why should they go out and fight it?”

POG activist and Merton Center project coordinator Marie Skoczylas said the day’s events were important because, “The city is going to hell and we’re continuing to fund this illegal occupation.”

Billions of dollars are being diverted away from important things, such as the public transportation system, police and education, Skoczylas added.