Thread on what happened tonight. Protesters showed up to the mayor's house. He's on his steps, real Fred Rogers style. Community leaders get on the porch. Community leaders initiate passionate, heartfelt conversation with the mayor.

1/x

Mayor as it turns out is kind of a chicken nugget. Ultimately isn't really responsive or accountable to requests of community leaders. Goes inside. Protest returns to the street. Chanting, singing, etc commence. 10 pm (noise ordnance) goes by. Riot police show up.

2/x

Protest given 2 minutes to disperse. Does so in the direction ordered. Route to Mellon Park is lined by cops on all intersections, no chance to go elsewhere. Protesters told to get out of street onto sidewalk. Comply. Get onto grass off of sidewalk. Comply.

3/x

Are told the park is closed (it's not, Mellon Park was still open at that time, check the timestamps). Shoving by officers as protest stands on grass. Massive amounts of mace use. Protester dragged away and arrested. Protester thrown down, mask pulled off, maced in mouth.

4/x

Impact munitions fired. Protest breaks up across park to Penn. Evacuation commences.

At no point did the protesters not do what the officers said to do. Then the police LIED about the park being closed so they could inflict violence.

5/x

They literally pushed the protest to a park instead of a residential area and once they had their killing field, used it. After evac, painful process of decontaminating from mace commences. People are stuck, unable to get back to their cars.

6/x

All because @billpeduto decided that he wanted a bunch of people who came to him peacefully to taste the fist of state violence. Tonight started with such peaceful, upbeat vibes but because his mealy-mouthed answers weren't accepted he decided that people needed to be maced.

7/x

Absolute failure of leadership. How dare you bait protesters to your home with your offers to talk and then end the night with people screaming, coughing, choking even after following your officers' orders. Panicking in the shower because the mace won't come off.

8/x

I don't think this breaks the will of the protesters here. I really don't. The next crowd will be even bigger. When's the tear gas coming back out @PghPublicSafety ? Again, @billpeduto is a goddamn disgrace and tonight only cements that further.

9/9

Addendum follow @csnyderj for some videos of all of this.

Second addendum follow @WickPhoto @hanfranny @airreeulll as well, they all covered this.