Thousands March In Peaceful G-20 Protest

A few thousand demonstrators have stopped their march on one of Pittsburgh's bridges and are shouting toward the Group of 20 meeting site from afar.

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The Iraq Veterans Against War painted messages on the sidewalks of Fifth Avenue in Oakland with mud and chalk.

Other groups in attendance for Friday's march included Free Tibet, Code Pink, Hoola Hoop Against G-20 and Honk For Homos.

These were feeder groups that joined the larger, organized Peoples' March.

All remained peaceful and police just lined the route to keep them on the right path.

The protesters have stopped on the Andy Warhol Bridge and turned toward the David L. Convention Center, which is a few hundred yards upriver. They are shouting toward the building and addressing their opposition to what's happening inside.

One woman on a bullhorn is yelling, "Power to the people, not the G-20."

Seven Coast Guard and city police boats are underneath the bridge, keeping an eye on protesters.

The march has a city permit and organizers have pledged to keep it nonviolent.

More than 1,000 protesters are on the move in Pittsburgh for what has been billed as a peaceful protest against the Group of 20 summit.

Pete Shell, an organizer of the so-called "People's March" peaceful protest, said most of the marchers are demanding solutions to environmental and economic crises they believe were created by the G-20.

Friday's march began in Oakland near Carlow University with chanting, folk songs and signs with slogans ranging from "Peace over Profits" to "Eat the Rich." Many signs bore anti-war messages.

At least two dozen black-clad and masked anarchists were in the crowd. Anarchists were behind some of the clashes with police during Thursday's protests in Bloomfield, Lawrenceville and Oakland.

The 3-Rivers Climate Convergence, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Women's Coalition, Meditation for Peace, and Students for Justice in Palestine are all a part of the march, too.

"We have been having violence training, peace guide training," said Jessica Benner of the Thomas Merton Center. "We have peace guides here to make sure things go smoothly."

The event started at 1:30 p.m. with a rally at Fifth Avenue and Craft Avenue. From there, the protestors marched down Fifth Avenue to the City-County Building. They then headed down Grant Street to the federal building and down 10th Street on their way to the convention center.

Channel 11 News reporter Rick Earle said the streets are packed with 5,000 to 10,000 people.

The groups met Thursday evening at the Thomas Merton Center in East Liberty to finalize their plans. They're demanding "money for human needs, not war."

Additional protesters were positioned outside of Soldiers and Sailors in Oakland on Friday. Among the groups protesting in that location were Hula Hoop Against the G-20 and Iraq Veterans Against the War.

“We see ourselves as basically being somebody's business expenditures and we wanted to express that and also affirm that we're not willing to show for the profits of other people anymore,” said veteran Joyce Wagner.

Separate from that march, the G-20 Resistance Project encouraged "affinity groups" to protest Friday morning at companies that it says represent greed, exploitation, warfare and other social ills, with potential targets including banks, Starbucks, McDonald's, grocery stores and a Marine Corps recruiting center.

However, as of 2:30 p.m., police said there have been no reports of large gatherings or vandalism.

Some of the businesses prepared for the protests anyway. Many are boarded up or protected by fences, razor wire, concrete barriers and a mix of police, private security officers and National Guard troops.

On Thursday night, protesters took to the streets of Oakland. Police moved in around Forbes Avenue, using rubber bullets and smoke canisters to move the crowd out.

Riot police, in an overwhelming show of force, declared a Thursday morning march in Lawrenceville illegal almost as soon as it began, firing rubber bullets and canisters of pepper spray and smoke after small bands of anarchists responded to calls to disperse by rolling huge metal trash bins, throwing rocks and breaking windows.

According to Pittsburgh police, 24 people were arrested during the day and another 42 people were arrested overnight.

Previous Stories: September 25, 2009: Plane Enters Restricted G-20 Airspace, Met By F-15s September 25, 2009: G-20 Protest Stays 'Peaceful' As It Enters Downtown September 25, 2009: G-20 Spouses Tour CAPA, Visit Warhol Museum September 25, 2009: Rubber Bullets Fly, Arrests Made During Rowdy Oakland Protests September 25, 2009: G-20 Leaders Declare Pittsburgh Summit A Success September 25, 2009: Police Intervene During Chaotic G-20 Resistance March September 25, 2009: First Lady Treats G-20 Spouses To Dinner On Farm September 25, 2009: World Leaders Attend First G-20 Function At Phipps September 24, 2009: Downtown Attracts Diverse Group During G-20 Kick Off September 24, 2009: G-20 Protesters Arrive In Strip District, North Shore Early September 24, 2009: Point State Park Hosts "Rally For Clean Energy Jobs" September 24, 2009: Greenpeace Protesters Dangle From West End Bridge September 23, 2009: Potential Protests Put Strip District Businesses On Edge September 23, 2009: Pittsburgh Gives G-20 Visitors Terrible Towels, Penguins Jerseys September 23, 2009: Judge Finds For Pittsburgh In G-20 Protest Lawsuit