Public Speaks Out Against G20 Safety Bills

29 speakers lined up in Pittsburgh City Council chambers Wednesday to voice their thoughts on a pair of bills that would limit the types of items a person could carry or wear based on security requests from law enforcement officials. The bills would make it a crime to wear a mask with the intent to hide your identity from police, carry items such as chains and pipes with the intent to block a street or prevent arrest and carry a gas mask with the intent to counteract police efforts to disperse a crowd. Many of the speakers like David Meiern focused on the word “intent” in the legislation. Meiern says the bills criminalize intent and that is the same as criminalization of free speech and that is anti democratic. While speaking to the council Meiern placed a polar bear mask on his head and asked members if they could discern if he was wearing the mask to hide his identity or if he was protesting the G20 supported policies that are resulting in the melting of the ice on which the polar bears live. Other speakers complained that downtown was being militarized, Point State Park was being turned into a garrison and the signs that read “Pittsburgh welcomes the world” should be changed to “Pittsburgh welcomes the rich.” Other complained that the millions of dollars being spent on security should instead be spent on ending poverty. Some went so far as to call on the city to revoke the invitation to the members of the G20. Several speakers asked Council members to pass ordinance putting tighter controls on police tactics. Council will debate and take a preliminary vote on the measures next week.