A Downtown protest over the police shooting of Antwon Rose II turned tense Friday when a group of protesters surrounded two high-ranking public safety officials and shouted questions, complaints and obscenities at the pair.
The protesters closed in around Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich and police Chief Scott Schubert on the sidewalk at the corner of Grant Street and Forbes Avenue during an about two-hour protest around noon Friday.
The crowd angrily confronted the pair for several minutes, with some protesters shouting into bullhorns inches from the officials’ faces, who stood backed against a guardrail.
“That’s not going to work,” Director Hissrich said to one protester as she screamed into a bullhorn in front of him.
Many of the protesters took issue with the city’s new guidelines for public protests, released Thursday, that forbids protesters from blocking some key intersections and streets, especially during rush hour.
“[You] put further restrictions on people who are peacefully protesting against an oppressive system,” protester Nicky Jo Dawson shouted, adding later, “You’re very cocky and arrogant and ignorant right now.”
Chief Schubert remained silent during the exchange, while Director Hissrich attempted to speak with the protesters a few times, although the protesters often shouted him into silence.
At one point, the director told Ms. Dawson her bullhorn was a weapon. He also told the protesters to file complaints with the city’s Office of Municipal Investigations, to which one woman in the crowd screamed, “We’re filing our complaint right now!”
Friday’s rally was organized by the Alliance for Police Accountability and 1Hood Media.
Around 10:30 a.m., five of the protesters walked inside the Allegheny County Courthouse and tried to speak with District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr., who did not meet with them.
Protester Christian Carter then read a letter to Mr. Zappala that called for the district attorney to make sure that the jury selection is conducted fairly for the case against East Pittsburgh police Officer Michael Rosfeld, who fatally shot Antwon.
Mr. Carter also wanted Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey Manning “removed from the case” because of what he characterized as a biased relationship between the attorney and the judge. Judge Manning placed Officer Rosfeld under electronic home monitoring pending trial, but neither he nor any other judge has yet been assigned to the case.
Mike Manko, spokesman for Mr. Zappala, said in a statement after the letter was delivered that Mr. Zappala has met with Antwon’s family and would be happy to do so again if they have further concerns.
Protesters gathered on the sidewalk in front of the courthouse around 11:30 a.m. and later marched into the street and blocked the intersection of Forbes Avenue and Smithfield Street and several other streets until about 1 p.m., when the protest ended in Market Square.
No arrests were made.
Shelly Bradbury: 412-263-1999, sbradbury@post-gazette.com or follow @ShellyBradbury on Twitter.
First Published: July 27, 2018, 4:52 p.m.
Updated: July 27, 2018, 11:27 p.m.
