9 Officers Hurt, 20 Arrests Made In Pittsburgh Protest

PITTSBURGH, PA — Cleanup will continue Tuesday in East Liberty after a peaceful protest's conclusion turned violent Monday evening. The protest, which included more than a thousand demonstrators, resulted in 20 arrests and nine police officers injured.

None of the officers were injured seriously.

Four of the people arrested were from out of state, police said.

Public safety officials said a small segment of the protesters threw rocks and bricks at officers. Smoke canisters were fired at the protesters after they ignored repeated instructions to disperse.

"Two protesters were taken for evaluation but will be absolutely fine, and nine officers were hurt by protesters," Mayor Bill Peduto said in a late night news conference. "At what point do we not take a response that helps to protect the community and the officers that are
just doing their job in order to keep peace?”

Peduto pledged to review all police communication between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Monday to make sure that proper police protocols were observed.

Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said that the windows of several businesses were broken, no looting appears to have occurred.

Demonstrators were protesting the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died last week in Minneapolis while being taken into custody by a group of white police officers. Multiple videos showed former police officer Derek Chauvin's knee on Floyd's neck, along with other officers kneeling on his back.

Chauvin has been charged with murder.