Here are the full articles and links they even went so far as to report that people were referring to it as a "POLICE STATE" Remember this is the local NBC affiliate:
http://www.wpxi.com/news/21151302/detail.htmlCity Council To Form Fact-Finding Committee To Investigate G-20
PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to form a special fact-finding committee to investigate the G-20 Summit and its impact on the city.
The committee will be made up of three council members and three members from the mayor's administration including public safety director Mike Huss and city controller Michael Lamb.
Council said they would examine every facet of the G-20, from its economic impact on downtown businesses to decisions by police.
While council praised police and gave them high marks overall, some raised questions about their strategy, particularly in Oakland last Friday night.
"Do we need as much of a police presence in the future?" asked councilman Patrick Dowd. "Should police be using this type of equipment and do we have policies in place for this type of equipment? These are questions that need to be asked and we will again hopefully learn from this experience," Dowd said.
Council said they had planned to form the committee even before some angry residents voiced their concerns at the Tuesday meeting.
"Pittsburgh was turned into a police state," said Albert Petraca.
"Pittsburgh looked like a scene from another country. As the parent of four former college students I would have gone ballistic if they had been arrested for being an innocent bystander," said Debbie McKenney.
Authorities said at several different times Thursday and Friday demonstrators failed to follow orders by police to disperse.
Channel 11's Rick Earle reported that police tossed canisters of pepper spray, fired rubbed bullets and used a noise cannon to aide in crowd control.
Council president Doug Shields told Earle that he anticipated people will be lining up to file lawsuits against the city. Shields said that is why the city purchased an insurance policy
http://www.wpxi.com/news/21154843/detail.htmlCharges Will Be Dropped Against Some Students
Posted: 10:06 pm EDT September 29, 2009
Updated: 11:43 pm EDT September 29, 2009
PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- The Allegheny County district attorney plans to withdraw charges against four students arrested during G-20 protests.
D.A. spokesman Mike Manko said, "Those four students were being used as pawns by individuals who came to the city with the intent on doing damage and then mixed in with the students in an attempt to avoid detection."
Preliminary hearings will be held Wednesday for about 50 of the people who were arrested in Oakland on Thursday and Friday.
University of Pittsburgh student Katie Piszko says she was on her way home last Friday when she caught up in the protests, which brought hundreds of people and riot police into the streets.
"I couldn't get back into my dorm and
they were surrounding us on both sides, so I think there was a lot of innocent people that got hurt," said Piszko.
The district attorney says all 190 arrests are being reviewed, which included 51 University of Pittsburgh students.
University spokesman Robert Hill released a statement which read, "Most Pitt students who were arrested will be offered the opportunity to meet with university police to explain their circumstances."
Pittsburgh police say students were given eight warnings and had about 15 minutes to leave that area before gas and other tactics were used.
