Iraq war protest proceeds peacefully

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Milan Simonich
August 28, 2005

Protesters and police barely crossed paths yesterday during a cold-tempered antiwar demonstration in Oakland.

Gone was the fury of Aug. 20, when police used pepper spray and a Taser gun on a war protester and arrested her and three others.

Uniformed patrol officers stayed mostly in the background while about 100 demonstrators gathered on Forbes Avenue throughout late morning and early afternoon. In turn, most protesters were mild in their language. Only a handful called police "pigs" when squad cars rolled by.

But for Etta Cetera, of Polish Hill, the thought of police clashing with protesters remained fresh in her mind.

"A lot of people believe that we are in Iraq to protect our freedom," she said. "Then, when we come out and try to exercise our freedom of speech in a nonviolent way, we are beaten up and shown violence."

Still, most members of the antiwar Pittsburgh Organizing Group said their intent was to make life uncomfortable not for police, but for the military recruiting station at 3712 Forbes.

Marty O'Malley, 64, a Forrest Hills resident who served in Vietnam, said speaking out against the war in Iraq is important to dissuade people from enlisting.

"It is unpatriotic to serve in an unjust, illegal and immoral war," he said.

Pittsburgh Police Chief Robert W. McNeilly Jr., dressed in civilian clothes, stood across the street from the demonstrators. For two hours, he kept an eye on a block filled with picketers, diners and shoppers. His wife, police Cmdr. Catherine McNeilly, had supervisory duty at the demonstration, so McNeilly said he tagged along to keep her company.

"This is what protests should be -- peaceful," McNeilly said.

As he watched, the chief befriended Mike Firestone, 22, a veteran of the war in Iraq. Firestone said he was driving by when he noticed the demonstrators. He decided to stop to hear what they had to say. It did not impress him.

"I don't mind them protesting," said Firestone, who joined the Army in 2002 after graduating from Brentwood High School. "But they weren't there. I was. Saddam Hussein was slaughtering people."

Firestone said he thinks the war in Iraq is a worthy cause that, given time, will be an unqualified success.

When Firestone went on his way, both McNeillys thanked him for his service to his country.

Chief McNeilly seemed relaxed during the protest. The only time he showed a flicker of tension was when demonstrators wearing pink bandannas to hide their faces showed up. Police presence on street corners got heavier after that, but the crowd dispersed without any trouble a half-hour later.