Pittsburgh erupts in violence as George Floyd protests spin out of control - TribLIVE

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The City of Pittsburgh will be under overnight curfews through Monday in response to violent protests over the death of George Floyd that left Downtown storefronts in ruins and several police officers and journalists injured Saturday.

The protests began peacefully, but soon escalated with hundreds of people roaming the streets, setting police cars ablaze and taunting officers who eventually lobbed tear gas at the crowd.

At one point, officials locked down the city, shutting off access from all bridges and tunnels in an attempt to stem the flow of additional people protesting Floyd’s death last week when he was pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis police officer.

Two Pittsburgh police cars were destroyed after they were lit on fire by protesters and at least a dozen Downtown businesses were damaged and looted, officials said.

The curfew went into effect at 8:30 p.m. Saturday until 6:30 a.m. Sunday. A second curfew will be in effect from 8:30 p.m. Sunday through 6 a.m. Monday.

Police will stop and question anyone who is out during those times, Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died May 25 when a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck as several other officers watched, video taken by a resident showed.

The former Minneapolis officer, Derek Chauvin, was charged Friday with third-degree murder and manslaughter in connection with the incident.

His killing touched off several days of protests in cities across the country, including Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Philadelphia on Saturday.

“It’s definitely justified – extremely justified,” Virgol Spica, 25, of Wilkinsburg, said of the demonstrations. “We’ve protested over and over and over again, and still nothing is being done about our people being killed.”

State police were called in to assist Saturday night, Hissrich said.

“We believe that a lot of these individuals who are creating trouble are not from the city,” Hissrich said. “However, we have to take a strong response to ensure that residents, visitors of the city remain safe over the next few days.”

Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Schubert said what began as a peaceful protest was hijacked mostly by white male “anarchists.”

“They’re not here to protest what happened,” Schubert said. “They’re here to take advantage of a situation, and try to throw it their way, and bring other people into the mix and cause damage, cause injury with that. There’s no doubt that’s who’s doing it.”

Downtown protests began around 2 p.m. with chants and moments of silence for Floyd. People in the crowd held signs with messages such as, “Abolish the police,” “White silence is compliance,” “Police stop killing us,” “We are not equal,” “Justice for George Floyd, black lives matter,” and “Stop police brutality.”

Anand Young, 43, of Wilkinsburg, came to the protest with a sign that read, “Is this the type of officer, human you want to be?” The word “officer” was crossed out.

When asked what he hoped came from the protest, he said, “Anything. Even if they leave this thinking they have made a difference and having a little more hope.”

His girlfriend, Megan Delpriora, 33, also of Wilkinsburg, held a sign that said, “I don’t see an American dream. All I see is an American nightmare.”

Protesters wove through the streets of Downtown and eventually reached PPG Paints Arena on Fifth Avenue, where skirmishes broke out between protesters. A motorcyclist rode through the group, revving his engine, which upset some protesters and energized others.

By 4:30 p.m., a group of protesters overtook and torched a Pittsburgh Police SUV. The black smoke filled the area and could be seen from Downtown.

Another unmarked police SUV was also destroyed. Protesters stomped on the hood and roof, smashed it with bats and skateboards and lit it on fire.

By 6 p.m., protesters started smashing glass business fronts along Sixth Avenue and Smithfield Street, Downtown. They also overturned dumpsters, road blockades and other street signs. Some, armed with spray paint cans, wrote on buildings. Another group along Sixth Avenue lit two American flags on fire.

In response, Pittsburgh Police deployed tear gas.

“If you came to protest peacefully, please leave, go home, for your own safety,” a statement posted to the Pittsburgh Public Safety Twitter account said. “This is no longer peaceful.”

Pittsburgh Public Safety includes police, fire and emergency medical services, among other city agencies.

In a statement posted to Twitter, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto criticized the violence.

“To those vandalizing Downtown, you will be arrested,” Peduto said. “You have turned on the very mission, and more importantly – the people, you supposedly marched for two hours ago. You have turned their peaceful march for justice into your self-centered, violent act of attention.”

Pittsburgh Public Safety declared an “unlawful assembly” in Downtown Pittsburgh around 7 p.m. Residents were urged to stay home and businesses were told to close.

“This follows repeated acts of violence, property damage and looting of businesses, which is ongoing,” a statement from Pittsburgh Public Safety said.

Officials had not yet confirmed any arrests as of 7 p.m., but were able to confirm three injuries among local reporters.

One of them, KDKA-TV photojournalist Ian Smith, tweeted that he had been attacked by a group of protesters and had his camera destroyed. A separate group of protesters pulled him away to safety, he said.

A third person was injured near the intersection of Route 28 and Chestnut and transported to an area hospital, Allegheny County 911 Dispatch confirmed.

Several police officers were also injured, but Hissrich of Pittsburgh Public Safety did not provide details.

Officials did not release the number of arrests by 8 p.m. Saturday.

In a statement, Bishop David Zubik of the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese issued “an urgent call for calm as we work for justice.”

“I ask all believers to pray and act for peace, unity and that perfect balance of justice and mercy that is the hallmark of God’s work in our world,” Zubik said. “I mourn with the family of George Floyd and all who have lost loved ones to inexcusable violence. I especially pray with and for the members of the African American community. Racism is a sin. We must all work to overcome the injustice with which this sin infects our society.”

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