Anti-war demonstration at CMU facility ends in 14 arrests
Protestors accompanied by band and entertainment

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Ann Rodgers
March 2, 2007

An anti-war demonstration that resembled a small street circus, complete with a band and trapeze artist, resulted in 14 arrests outside Carnegie Mellon University's National Robotics Engineering Center in Lawrenceville yesterday.

Those arrested had blocked 43rd Street near a back door of the center. Police took hours to remove them because they had chained their arms to each other inside PVC pipes.

Six others chained to the front gate were left alone because it was private property and CMU did not ask for them to be removed, police said.

The Pittsburgh Organizing Group, which planned the event, said it targeted the center because it makes robotic military vehicles and weapons delivery systems.

"This is an action intended to shut down this facility," said David Meieran, an organizer.

They did not succeed, said Teresa Thomas, a spokeswoman for CMU. Many employees telecommuted, and a training event for 120 others was held off-site.

"We try to respect their right to exercise free speech in a nonviolent way. Thus we have a no harm-no foul policy," she said of the decision to leave the front gate protesters alone.

She said the center's work can be used in medicine and auto safety. Its military vehicles "save lives by keeping soldiers out of harm's way," she said.

About 50 protesters began to arrive before 6 a.m. Police said they first tried to disperse the 43rd Street group at 6:23 a.m., and negotiations continued for an hour. Eventually EMS personnel who had trained for this chain-and-pipe tactic began to slowly cut through the pipes and carry protesters to police vans.

"The protest was orderly, peaceful and went without incident or force," the police statement said.

One juvenile and 13 adults were charged with disorderly conduct, obstructing traffic and possession of an instrument of crime -- the chains. They were taken to the Allegheny County Jail.

The most visually arresting protest did not lead to arrest. De'Anna Caliguiri, a 24-year-old office temp from Bloomfield, was suspended in a rock-climbing harness from the apex of a 22-foot-high tripod. Other protesters held the three poles steady in the cold wind. In theory, nobody could take it down without dropping her 15 feet to the asphalt.

"I'm a little cold but [I feel] good," she said. "I'm here because I'm against the war and feel it's very important to take direct action against and confront local institutions that facilitate and profit from war."

A volunteer arrived with vegan coffee -- sweetened with soy milk and raw sugar -- for her and the six chained to the front gates, bundled in sleeping bags.

Among then was Clare Choyer, 21, of Point Breeze. Wisps of blonde hair blew out between her floppy rain hat and the blue bandana covering her lower face.

"My arms hurt pretty bad," she admitted. They were stretched crucifixion style, chained to veteran protester Vince Eirene on her right and another protester on her left. The chains were covered in tar, then enclosed in pipe and layers of duct tape.

But she had no regrets. "I think it's really important that people realize what's going on in there. I don't think a lot of people know weapons that are sent to Iraq are contracted here."

Along 43rd Street a rag-tag band of percussion, clarinet and brass played themes from Star Wars and more esoteric music. Baritone player Matt, who would not give his last name, said he was a student at CMU -- but not a music major.

"This isn't an educational institution. It shouldn't be part of CMU," he said. "Let the government hire its own researchers and let CMU work on education."

A few protesters on the sidelines swore at the police, who seemed unperturbed.

"I think the band is a nice touch," said William Bochter, assistant chief of police for operations. "We've been out here for hours and it's nice to have the music."

Police left before protesters, who dispersed before 12:30 p.m. Mr. Meieran said he found CMU's nonresistance response surprising. When a large sign he had made fell on the other side of the fence, a security guard retrieved it.

"He handed it back to me with a smile. It was kind of unusual," he said.