Crowds protest in East Liberty in response to possible relocation of police department

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh police officers are considering moving back to the Zone 5 police station at North Euclid Avenue and Broad Street after years of renovations, but protesters don’t want that to happen.

“We think the return of the number 5 police station back to East Liberty is a classic misuse of police,” said march organizer Randall Taylor.

Taylor said more police here means a more uncomfortable way of life for people of color.

“It is only designed to intimidate Black people who shop and work here and i think there are forces who do not want Black people in East Liberty,” Taylor said.

You can customize your WPXI News App to receive Allegheny County news alerts. CLICK HERE to find out how.

The City of Pittsburgh said it’s aware of public safety concerns and even created a task force on police reform.

As for Zone 5, the city released the following statement:

“The proposed relocation hasn’t even been designed or sent out for bid yet.

It is being studied because the current Washington Boulevard location has to be continually cleaned after regular flooding, and to make way for remediation and green infrastructure in the Negley Run watershed.

Also, for those concerned about police funding it is far cheaper for the City to move workers into a building we already own, and which was the previous home of the Zone 5 station, than to buy a new building.

The City is well-aware of community concerns about Public Safety matters, which is why the Mayor named a Community Task Force on Police Reform.”

Before protesters took over Centre and Penn avenues, and at one point the Target parking lot, they stretched. It was before the march that we heard a stunning admission from an organizer, saying protesters need to take COVID-19 seriously as several leaders are currently out sick.

We have calls into the county health department to see if they’re aware of any more than a handful of reported cases from protests, and if anyone is enforcing large crowds like today’s 200 plus people marching through Allegheny County.

UPDATE 6:54 p.m.: Pittsburgh Public Safety said the crowd is dispersing and there are no issues to report.

UPDATE 6:06 p.m.: Protesters are now at Graham and Baum.

UPDATE 5:55 p.m.: The crowds is now marching down Centre Avenue toward Shadyside.

UPDATE 5:07 p.m.: Protesters are now sitting in the intersection of Centre Avenue and Kirkwood Street.

UPDATE 4:59 p.m.: The crowd is now marching down Broad Street.

UPDATE 4:45 p.m.: Protesters are now marching through the streets and have formed a circle outside of Target at Centre and Penn avenues.

Pittsburgh Public Safety officials said to expect traffic delays and rolling closures in the area.

High-rise construction in Oakland could disrupt traffic for 2 years High-rise construction in Oakland could disrupt traffic for 2 years

Cox Media Group