Protest leads to one arrest, injury

A protest calling for peace Thursday ended with a Pitt police lieutenant in the hospital and… A protest calling for peace Thursday ended with a Pitt police lieutenant in the hospital and a protester in Allegheny County Jail.

The rally, which was publicized by fliers hung around campus, was a part of the Emergency Day of Action’s Student Strike. In the strike, students were encouraged to walk out of classes and participate in a day of teach-ins and workshops on Pitt’s campus, according the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center.

The impromptu march, which, according to the media center, was held by the Rowdy Student Brigade, began around 1 p.m. in Posvar Hall, because of rain. Approximately 40 protesters marched around campus shaking noisemakers and banging on a variety of drums, ranging from upside down buckets to metal soldier’s hats. Chanting, “Strike for peace,” the protesters, some of whom had there faces covered, carried signs reading “No blood for oil.”

The march wove around campus, stopping at Hillman library for a few minutes. It was at that point when a library employee contacted Pitt police, according to Pitt police Chief Tim Delaney.

The students were again asked to leave, and they moved across the street to the William Pitt Union. Pitt police barred the protesters’ entrance into the Cathedral of Learning and the students chanted outside of the building for a few minutes before a few students broke away to enter in the bottom level of the Cathedral. The rest of the group soon followed.

“The place is open to the public, but not when you disrupt students and classes,” Delaney said.

As the group exited the building, a scuffle broke out between a Pitt police officer and one of the protesters. According to Delaney, the lieutenant injured his hand after the student put him in a headlock. The lieutenant was taken to the hospital after saying that he could not feel his hand, according to Delaney.

The protester then ran from the police. With backup cars from city police and an officer on a bicycle, the police caught up with the student. He was handcuffed and taken to a Port Authority car amid the protesters’ yells of “free him” and “what are his charges?”

According to Delaney, the protester was taken to Allegheny County Jail where he will possibly face charges of aggravated assault.

The protesters continued toward Carnegie Mellon University, where the protest ended around 3:45 p.m.

Delaney said the march was the only protest at Pitt during the day that resulted in any sort of conflict, adding that most of the protesters are “good kids” and that it only takes a few people to create trouble.

“Somebody steps over the line, somebody gets excited, then there’s a violation.”

Other events during the day included leaflets distributed throughout campus, teach-ins and workshops.