Bernie Sanders holds presidential rally in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders continued his attacks on rival Hillary Clinton's relationship with Wall Street at a boisterous Pittsburgh rally.%

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About 8,500 mostly young people crowded into the David L. Lawrence Convention Center Thursday for Sanders' first appearance in western Pennsylvania.

• PHOTOS: Sanders rally in Pittsburgh

"Everything was so peaceful and happy," supporter Paige Shaner said. "People playing with balloons, reading books. No fighting or arguing...it was a beautiful thing to watch."

Sanders slammed Clinton for giving speeches on Wall Street.

• RAW: Bernie Sanders Pittsburgh rally

At an earlier news conference he chided her for supporting NAFTA and free trade agreements with China, saying they made it easier for corporations to ship jobs to other countries and leave Americans out of work.

“Trade is a good thing, but it has got to be based on fair principles, not unfettered free trade,” Sanders said.

The Sanders campaign opened an office on Pittsburgh's South Side last week.

• RAW: Sanders supporters speak out

"He's been a champion of the middle class, a champion of labor unions," Sanders' Pennsylvania campaign manager Ryan Hughes said. "I think all of those things are going to resonate here in Pittsburgh and across the state."

Clinton leads Sanders comfortably in polls of likely Pennsylvania voters.

The primary contests have created unusually high interest in Pennsylvania, with sizable numbers of voters changing parties.

The Pennsylvania primary election is April 26.

Cox Media Group