‘This country belongs to all of us’: Pittsburgh participates in national ‘No Kings’ rallies

By Amanda Buchman, Staff Writer  • March 30, 2026

Nearly 20,000 protestors gathered in Downtown Pittsburgh on Saturday in solidarity with the national “No Kings” movement.

Photos: No Kings Protest

By Bhaskar Chakrabarti and Alex Jurkuta • October 20, 2025

Photos: No Kings Protest in Downtown Pittsburgh on October 18, 2025.

Protests persist as UPMC complies with DOJ subpoena and continues to deny gender-affirming care

By Amanda Yu, Assistant News Editor • October 7, 2025

Several months after UPMC began denying gender-affirming care for transgender patients in March 2025, community protests continue to push back.

Gallery: Students for Justice in Palestine Protest and March, Sept. 20 2025.

By Alex Jurkuta, Contributing Editor • September 22, 2025

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators rally in Schenley and march down Forbes and Fifth

By Naomi Weiss, Senior Staff Writer • September 22, 2025

About 100 demonstrators gathered at Schenley Plaza to show their  solidarity with Palestine. The group marched down Forbes Ave. to Chancellor Joan Gabel's residence, where demonstrators held "Genocide Joan" signs depicting blood on her hands. 

Local first-time protesters talk motivation for rallying, right to assemble

By Amanda Yu, Senior Staff Writer • April 21, 2025

Local first-time protesters said they are choosing to show out in response to a nationwide surge in protests, threats to free speech and other issues.

Couple charged in Knowles protest sentenced to prison and probation and owe nearly $50,000 in damages

By Neel Kamal and Spencer Levering • January 7, 2025

The couple who threw a homemade firework at Pitt Police officers and planted two smoke bombs during a protest against conservative commentator Michael Knowles in April 2023 were sentenced to time in prison and probation and fined nearly $50,000 on Monday.

Pro-Lebanon, Palestine groups host “emergency rally” in response to attacks on Middle East

By Briana Bindus, Assistant News Editor  • September 26, 2024

Pro-Lebanon and Palestine groups from across Pittsburgh hosted an “emergency rally” on Wednesday evening in front of the Cathedral of Learning, later moving to Schenley Plaza. About 100 students and community members gathered to protest for the protection of Lebanon as violence rises between Israel and Hazbollah. 

Pitt’s free speech ranking declines in new report

By Kyra McCague, Senior Staff Writer • September 23, 2024

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) ranked Pitt 208th out of 251 schools for free speech in the 2025 report on speech climates, a drop from its previous ranking of 130th of 248 schools.

Pitt launches free speech website

By Kyra McCague, Senior Staff Writer • September 6, 2024

Following the pro-Palestine protests that took place first at the end of April and then reassembled in early June, Pitt added protesting guidelines to the new free speech website.