community-based, non-corporate, participatory media
community-based, non-corporate, participatory media
April 12 DC Peace Rally/March
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
A handful of Pittsburgh activists made it down to Washington DC this past weekend, April 12-13 2003, for two large scale protests. The pictures shown here are from Saturday's ANSWER Anti-War March.
Estimates by the police say there were 30,000 people out in the streets of Washington DC on Saturday April 12th to protest the invasion of Iraq and what many believe is the beginning of a longer military campaign. International ANSWER put on the event and had thier usual rally with lots of speakers followed by a permitted march. Some Pittsburgher's participated in an unpermitted feeder march to the larger rally site. The police were present at both the unpermitted and permitted marches, and attacked the crowd unprovoked in both instances. It seemed as if the police were simply there to intimidate the peace march, as International ANSWER events tend to be calm, orderly affairs that attract minimal police prescence due to the general lack of any civil disobedient acts. Such luck was not with us, as police prescence was high, presumably to quell dissent. What follows is an array of pictures from the day with comments. Take it for what you will, but please, if you wish to comment on a picture make sure what you see is visible to the rest of us.
Feeder March Gathers
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
The feeder march with some participants from Pittsburgh gathers and holds a spokescouncil to determine tactics.
Feeder March Takes Street
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
Soon after the feeder march started off towards the rally, it spilled into the street. Almost immediately unmarked government vehicles began to drive through the crowd. There were threats made to arrest those in the street at the next block. I personally witnessed a stereotypical secret service looking man jump from a moving, black Lincoln and grab ahold of a mans bicycle, shaking it violently until the man got off. The owner of the bicycle wrestled it back from the suited man who then jumped back into the moving, black Lincoln and sped away. It was very strange and movie like, let me tell you.
More Government Vehicles
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
The government seems to really like SUV's with tinted windows. There were more than a few around with people inside diligently video-taping our every move. Many at this point had moved to the sidewalk, but there was still a strong contingent in the street. We ended up turning away from where the police were heading and seemed to confuse them a bit. The unpermitted march continued on towards the rally.
Preparations for Tear-Gas
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
After another block or two the police made a showing again, with fewer numbers but more substantial equipment. I personally witnessed some police with tear-gas canisters, which is when some people decided to prepare for the worst. Most people were on the sidewalk at this point, with a few left marching on in the street. Its a very cliche protest picture, but it still amazes me that here in the United States such preparedness is sometimes necessary.
Medics
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
There were plenty of well-prepared medics walking along with the unpermitted march. Many were put into action later in the day due to police violence.
Feeder March Reaches Rally
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
Once the feeder march was within sight of the rally, it moved back into the street. It seemed to have gained a few people along the way also. The crowd at the rally site was very jovial upon our arrival. Everyone I saw was happy to see that we made it to the rally. Many waved peace signs back at us as we marched around towards the back of the rally and laid claim to the street, effectively extending the rally area.
Veteran for Peace
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
This war veteran was quite happy to see us arrive at the back of the march. Some were confused by the mask wearing, but many asked questions and seemed to understand the reasoning once it was explained to them. There was much support from the crowd for us.
Joe Average Citizen
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
I was thrilled to see Joe Average at the rally blending in with the more radical crowd at the back. This particular man was participating in a bit of a percussion jam on the sidewalk by the fountain seen in the background. That fountain is the same one the two women in the first photo are seen wading in.
On Top of Bus Stop
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
Some masked activists from the above feeder march managed to climb up on the bus stop.
Buy Something
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
There were plenty of people selling buttons and t-shirts to the crowd.
Texaco Missle
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
There were a few puppets in the crowd. This one made it through on people's shoulders for the duration of the permitted march.
Rally View
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
View from the ANSWER rally down towards the Capitol.
Meditation for Peace
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
Paper Mache Jesus
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
Staging for March
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
Permitted March Begins
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
The permitted march began with little police prescence as it headed towards the Capitol.
Police Presence Increases
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
At the first turn of the permitted march the police prescence became much stronger, with some brandishing plenty of plastic handcuffs. This was a permitted march with no calls for or history of disorderly behavior, so presumably these cops were there to intimidate the march. When the police go to a public event with no history of violence just to make sure things run smoothly, they tend to not carry such copius amounts of handcuffs. Clearly there was an agenda of intimidation from the beginning.
Motorcycle Police
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
Soon enough the motorcycle cops showed up and began speeding up the sides of the march. They would speed ahead, honking and generally making people feel uncomfortable, and then stop. People would filter in front of them, and they the police would start up again and actually hit people with their motorcycles. I believe this was done simply to provoke a confrontation.
Police Turn Violent
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:17 AM
After hitting more than a few activists with their motorcycles, the police began to attack the permitted march for no apparent reason. There was a report of one person allegedly spitting on an officer on a motorcycle, but even if true, it does not warrant the police speeding through the crowd on motorcycles and bicycles and throwing activists to the ground. The police were seen to speed up the sidewalk and strike pedestrians with their motorcycles. Some police were pushing activists from the streets to the sidewalk at the same time other officers were pushing people from the sidewalk and into the street. Does this seem just the least bit oppressive to be happening in a free country during a permitted protest march?
Police Violence
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:22 AM
Sorry, the last few pictures got out of sync a bit with the descriptions. Everything is in the correct chronological order however.
Police Confusion
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:24 AM
This police officer was very confused as to what was going on. At one point he was pushing people into the street as other officers ordered them out. Then he was shoving people back onto the sidewalk he just shoved them from.
Police Bicycles
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:25 AM
Police bicycles and motorcycles littered the sidewalk and street as the police dropped them and ran into the crowd.
Man with Sign
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:27 AM
Cop Against War?
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:30 AM
Someone in the march placed this ANSWER sticker for the day of the march on this officer's motorcycle. He drove around oblivious to it for a while, until he finally noticed and tore it off.
Final Police Violence
by Brad Cue
Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2003 at 1:37 AM
Towards the end of the permitted march one woman in the crowd made a poorly thought out move and grabbed the police baton from the back of a motorcyle. The officer noticed, and ran after her. As people chanted "Let Her Go!" more and more police arrived in a frenzy, running people over with their motorcycles and beating those who could not run away fast enough. There was a ton of confusion at this point, as some at the front of the march yelled for those of us being attacked to not run. I saw one man with a pretty significant bruise on his face being treated by the street medics. Reportedly there were concussions and serious injuries such as knee dislocation as a result of the final police attack. This last one was by far the scariest as the police pushed for an extended period of time. Soon after the march ended in a park, which we quickly left as the police presence grew. No further attacks were reported.
Confused, But Still FIghting For The Cause
by Bard Que
Wednesday, Apr. 16, 2003 at 6:09 PM
I don't know about you, but I'm confused.
knee dislocation
by John
Saturday, Apr. 26, 2003 at 6:01 PM
actually the knee dislocation happened during the first attack. I was one of the people that brought him to the sidewalk and got a medic. It reminded me of the war movies when some guy gets shot and their comrade has him around his shoulders screaming for a medic. This kid was in high school too. Fuck the police.
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