This is an amazing article that everyone should read. That is all.

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Last week, authoritarianism came back to Pittsburgh. Like any long-lost uncle, it came bearing gifts: national and international media exposure that would take $100 million to achieve, $35 million in cash injected into the local economy and a cavalcade of world leaders who took time from their oligarchies back home to admire the solidity of our fences and barriers Downtown.

All authoritarianism wanted in exchange for these goodies was our soul — starting with our civil liberties. Our civic leaders, flattered by the “prestige” that comes with hosting a G-20 summit, quickly obliged. Who would miss a little thing like civil liberties, anyway?

For three days, Downtown was emptied of four-fifths of its population and replaced with 4,000 cops who spread out to different parts of the city when ordered to do so by some invisible democracy-hating high command.

The cops given the task of imitating Darth Vader’s stormtroopers were a grim bunch. They volunteered to come here from other parts of the country, attracted by the mercenary pay and the opportunity to exert the kind of force on a civilian population their own civic leaders would never let them get away with. Pittsburgh now has the dubious distinction of being the only place outside Russia where sonic weapons were used on a civilian population.

Keep Jeff Bartos Free!

Open Letter to the Movement from CT Students Against the War
Keep Jeff Bartos Free! Support the IVAW! Defend Free Speech!

As many have heard, CT Students Against the War member, CT Iraq Veterans Against the War treasurer and former Army Sgt. Jeff Bartos was arrested last week at G20 protests while attending to the medical needs of a reporter that had been teargassed by police. After hearing of this arrest, the antiwar movement managed to flood the Allegheny County Jail with enough phone calls to engineer his release. Jeff will return to Pittsburgh on Wednesday to plead ‘not guilty’ to charges of disorderly conduct and failure to disperse.

Several CT-SAW members will be accompanying Jeff back down to Pittsburgh for his court date. Until then, however, we need to make sure we put enough pressure on the Pittsburgh court system that they will have no other choice but to hear our demands. CT-SAW is calling for a 36hr call-in campaign to the city offices below to demand all charges against Jeff and all other G20 protesters be dropped. In addition, we are encouraging all supporters of civil liberties in the Pittsburgh area to rally in front of the court house Wednesday morning before and during Jeff’s 8am hearing. We also encourage all to attend the national united marches on October 17, demanding an end to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and occupations.

The police brutality used last week against protesters, bystanders, students, reporters, medics and veterans is unacceptable. We call for everyone to join in solidarity for those prosecuted for standing against the G20 and its policies. Connecticut students stand side by side with all the victims of the G20, from those who have been terrorized by their economic policies to those who have been attacked by their police protectors.

In solidarity,
CT Students Against the War

—————————————————————————
Pittsburgh Municipal Court
Municipal Courts Building, First Floor
660 First Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Open 8:30am-4:30pm
feedback@alleghenycourts.us

main line: 412.350.6715
court reporter’s office: 412.350.5414
Magisterial District Judge Courts: 412.350.5485
chief clerk’s office: 412.350.5525
court arraignment office: 412.350.5290
pretrial services: 412.350.4732
pretrial supervision: 412.350.4735
summery appeals: 412.350.6823

Allegheny County District Attorney
feedback@da.allegheny.pa.us

Stephen A. Zappala, Jr, District Attorney: 412.350.4400
Appeals Division: 412.350.4377
Area Prosecution: 412.350.4402
General Trial: 412.350.5656
Pre-trial Division: 412.350.4175

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s Office
Room 512, City-County Building 414 Grant Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Phone: 412-255-2626. Fax: 412-255-2687

City Council
Phone: 412-255-2142

Please repost widely.

Iraq Veteran Released, But More Calls Needed

September 27, 2009

Brothers and Sisters,

Iraq Veteran and Co-founder of the CT chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War, Jeff Bartos, was arrested with over 170 other activists, veterans, students and journalists at the G20 protests in Pittsburgh, PA from September 25-26.

As we reported earlier, former medic and Army Sgt. Jeff Bartos of New Britain, CT, was arrested while giving medical attention to a journalist who had been exposed to OC gas. Jeff spent many hours detained with hands bound so tight that it cut off his circulation until he was charged with disturbing the peace and released at 6pm on Saturday September 26.

Thank you, to everyone who called into the Allegheny County Jail to demand Jeff’s release. The county jail was overwhelmed with your calls and our impact was felt, however, the struggle is not over. We urge you to call the District Attorney and demand that all charges brought on Jeff Bartos and all G20 activists be dropped!

The democratic right to assemble and make demands on our government isn’t suspended at that government’s discretion. We consider the incarcerated and indicted activists to have been targeted and punished for expressing beliefs unfavorable to mainstream government economic policy.

To contact the District Attorney:

Stephen A. Zappala, Jr.
District Attorney 412.350.4400

We have a great opportunity to turn our calls into a greater action by organizing in our communities and letting the government know that violence against students and working people anywhere in the world will not be tolerated.

October 17th will be that day of action. The war in Afghanistan is escalating, the war in Iraq rages on, unmanned drones bomb Pakistan and the Palestinian people remain under sieze. Join us in Boston, San Francisco and over 30 other cities around the US s we hold antiwar rallies and marches that demand:
“All Troops Home Now from Afghanistan/Pakistan and Iraq”
“End the Siege of Gaza and All US Support for the Occupation of Palestine!”

For more information and a full list of demands on anti-war rallies in your area go to:

http://oct17awc.wordpress.com/

In CT go to: http://www.ctup.8k.com/

Or contact: Christopher Hutchinson, 860-989-1884 Christopher.hutch@gmail.com
Or Chris Garaffa 203.803.9066, Chris.Garaffa@gmail.com

Please repost widely.

The Struggle to Free G20 Protesters Continues

Update from the Pittsburgh G-20 Resistance Project Legal Working Group:

In total we estimate that at least 170 people were arrested during the protests against the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh on September 24-26. Efforts to nail down an exact number of arrestees have been hampered by mass arrests and round-ups in Oakland; the fact that hundreds of people around Pittsburgh outraged by the policies of the G-20 spontaneously took to the streets and are not plugged into our networks or communications systems; and the fact that police have been releasing protesters from at least two different locations miles away from each other in Pittsburgh’s militarized city center. We are not getting information from inside the jail and jail officials have intermittently stopped answering their phones. Jail officials have been general uncooperative and have harassed legal workers over the phones.

Thursday: We estimate that there were somewhere around 60 people arrested during the demonstrations on Thursday. We are currently tracking 8 individuals who are still being held in relation to Thursday’s demonstrations. Bail for the arrestees still being held ranges from $1,000 to $15,000 with some being given the opportunity to post bond at 10 percent.

Friday: Our reports indicate that at over 110 people were arrested related to protest activity between Friday morning and Saturday. All arrestees were initially taken to SCI Pittsburgh on the North Side for booking. Everyone there has either been released from SCI Pittsburgh or taken to Allegheny County Jail for arraignment. Current reports indicate that there are still somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 people at ACJ awaiting arraignment. Very little information on the charges people are being held on is available at this time. We are receiving information from inside the jail indicating that at least two people inside ACJ are injured and are not receiving medical assistance.

Continued Vigil at Allegheny County Jail: All G-20 arrestees are being held at Allegheny County Jail at 950 Second Ave. A jail solidarity vigil is ongoing outside of the jail. Please come to show your support for the arrestees. They CAN hear us inside!

Confiscated Personal Property: Many arrestees who have been released are reporting that their personal property is still being held. Jail officials are either denying that they have the property or insisting that personal property cannot be picked up until Monday. Many of the arrestees need to get their keys, cell phones, and wallets back so they can get home for work, school or to take care of other obligations. We are working to get arrestees’ property released as quickly as possible.

—-

Jail Solidarity Rally There will be a jail solidarity rally outside Allegheny County Jail at 7:00 pm. Bring signs, banners, noisemakers. Our friends CAN hear us inside jail. We demand that: All arrestees be released All charges be dropped Medical care be given for arrestees currently being held All personal items (backpacks, cameras, cell phones, etc.) taken from arrestees be returned immediately

Connecticut Co-Founder of Iraq Veterans Against the War Detained in Pittsburgh

Last night, Iraq veteran and co-founded of the Hartford chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War, Army Sgt. Jeff Bartos, was arrested at the G20 protests in Pittsburgh while giving medical attention to a protester who had been tear gassed.

The evening of September 25, 2009, marked the end of week-long protests against the Pittsburgh G20. Before returning home, a large group of activists gathered in Schenley Plaza for what they had heard would be a concert. Upon entering the park they were greeted, instead, with a number of police. The police told the group to leave the Plaza, and the activists cooperated; nevertheless, the group was forced into the Cathedral lawn and surrounded.

Approximately 65 people, including veterans, students, medics and journalists, were rounded up and arrested. Although most have reported being released without charges around 7:30am this morning, Jeff Bartos remains in custody, somewhere between the Pittsburgh SCI (where most of the arrested were initially brought) and Allegheny County Jail (where they are being held). Earlier this morning, we were informed that the plastic cuffs Jeff was arrested in had cut off the circulation to his hands, which began to turn blue, and that the police refused to loosen them.

Solidarity actions are taking place outside of the jail, but all of those interested in contacting Jeff or to demand his release, try the following numbers–

SCI Pittsburgh
(412) 761-1955

Allegheny County Jail
main line- (412) 350-2000
booking- (412) 350-2010
booking, line 2- (412) 350-2009

Pittsburgh Mayor’s Office
(412) 255-2626

For more info contact in Connecticut:
Christopher Hutchinson 860-989-1884 Christopher.hutch@gmail.com
Marissa Blaszko: 860-218-0566 marissablaszko@gmail.com

[Update]: After a hard night in Allegheny County Jail Jeff Bartos posted bail and was released. He thanks IVAW and the activist community for all the support.

IVAW Pittsburgh and the IVAW Field Organizing Team pitched in over half of his 200 dollar bail.

Pittsburgh Looks a Lot Like Tehran Tonight

Who causes more of a disruption: protesters or the police?

As the protests continue in Pittsburgh over the G20, I can only ponder which group of people is the most disruptive of the peace: unarmed protesters, or riot police armed to the teeth hurling tear gas at innocent bystanders and college students?

Voices of the G20 Opposition

Resisting the G20

Today, some of my friends are in Pittsburgh protesting the G20. I would’ve been among them, had the vans not been leaving here when I had class, and had they not been driving all night long to get there, then turning around and driving all night long again to return. I wanted to go mostly because I had never heard of the G20 before the National Assembly, where everyone seemed to know everything about it but me. I felt a little shameful–like I was a bad peace/political activist. When I came home, I researched the G20 and was angry, again, because I had never heard of it. Why had I never heard of something so important?

Once I understood what the G20 was–a group of twenty world leaders making decisions about things like the financial crisis–I was outraged. Why should twenty people make decisions in the back room and impose them on the rest of us? This is a democratic-republic. While we elect people to make decisions for us, we still have a say. Where is our say in the G20? Our forefathers broke away from England for taxation without representation. Where is the average person’s representation in the G20?

Now, watching the arrests at the G20, I wonder: why are peaceful protesters being arrested? Why are the police hurling tear gas and armed to the teeth?