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I’m with a group of about 25 people that gathered at 8 in Mellon Park. We’re taking a leisurely stroll over to Peduto’s house.
The rumors are true! @billpeduto is on his porch!
You can sit down! We moved in yesterday! - Lorenzo
The crowd is at about 40-50 people including bike marshals, and it’s making some noise.
Alright my internet can’t keep up with all the conversation and events here but protesters are on Peduto’s front porch now, per his invitation.
Wow. Dozens of protesters now on his porch, speaking with him directly.
I can’t hear what he’s saying, but I can hear periodic groans from and protest from the crowd. Plainclothes officers inside his house keep poking their heads out to watch the crowd.
The crowd still in conversation as the rest of the group keeps growing.
Here’s a live stream from someone on the porch. https://www.facebook.com/shawn.green.311/videos/3148266675228107/?extid=VWILveLDntEONgVQ&d=n
People in the crowd are watching the livestream so they can hear the conversation, which is not easy with helicopters overhead.
They’re now discussing why the protest that began yesterday ended this morning as an unlawful assembly, despite being less than 15 people. I ca hear Peduto raising his voice.
Just watch this. (Video description: dozens of protesters chant ‘hey hey, ho ho, mayor Peduto has got to go,’ while shini lights on him on his porch.
UPDATE: Right after this, Peduto went inside and closed all of the blinds in the front of his house.
The energy is high here tonight!
Group given order to disperse.
The civil affairs officer did not answer the questions of whether riot police will disperse the group.
“We just sat on his porch and tried to reason with him,” Gam says. “He got on the phone and called the police.”
My camera can’t get closer but I see two police vans and a few dozen officers down the street, aggressively shining their light at people on the street.
Crowd still going strong in front of Peduto’s house.
Two minutes until Peduto’s self-proclaimed curfew.
Interaction where a Sgt knowing deadnames a leader while trying to give a an informa dispersal order.
Freedom fighters on the front line. Riot gear just showed up on the other side.
Official declaration of unlawful assembly. Officers describe ways people can leave and give people two minutes to leave.
To avoid police the group is on the move.
Police are surrounding the group, forcing them to move by blocking all side streets.
Police also have some sort of box truck that’s following us. I don’t recognize it.
The line of riot cops seems to have stopped at Selwyn Street.
Just kidding! They’re back. The cops have people stuck on fifth Avenue with nowhere to go except into the park.
Cops currently have everyone on the sidewalk or in the park.
Police just told us to be in the sidewalk. Then promptly said ‘anyone blocking the sidewalk will be subject to arrest.’
BREAKING: pepper spray and mace used.
Mace and pepper spray after cops initiate pushing and violence.
BREAKING: Police use projectiles/impact munitions after everyone has complied with orders.
Impact munitions. Excuse my language.
After police forced protesters into the park, they announce that the park closed at 9pm.
The crowd is moving onto Penn Ave sidewalk near bakery square. A little spread out and rattled after the police attacked. People needed inhalers and medical attention.
At least 3 cars have stopped to offer people in the group rides to safety if needed.
People are vomiting and crying after police used chemical irritants and impact munitions.
I am leaving. Most of the crowd has. I’ll post more videos in a bit. It was clear to me that even as the group followed orders to a tee, police instigated violence by pushing protesters, using chemical irritants and firing impact munitions.
Just gonna slide this in here ... https://twitter.com/billpeduto/status/1296232751415226368
Police are preventing a group of journalists from returning to their vehicles to leave the scene. https://twitter.com/airreeulll/status/1296280596679925763
Here’s a vid right before police pushed the people in front of me (next video). Here you can see the protesters remaining firmly on the grass, as instructed by police.
And more from that interaction, immediately following.
