OVER Returns to County Executive’s House, Welcomed by Aggressive Cop Presence
The Ohio Valley Environmental Resistance (OVER), a land defense group based in southwestern Pennsylvania, returned to the house of Rich Fitzgerald, the Allegheny County Executive, to confront him about his response to a letter that OVER recently sent to him, demanding that he rescind his support of fracking and the petrochemical industry. OVER held a press conference with other signatories about their letter to get Fitzgerald’s attention, and his response to the letter was lacking (to say the least).
OVER organized a house demo much like their first one earlier this year with the goal of speaking directly to Fitzgerald about his support of the deadly petro industry and calling public attention to the cause of banning fracking. The demand specifically was to get Fitzgerald to publicly rescind his support and to sign on to the letter that OVER had composed. OVER and its allies showed up with signs, banners (one saying “Sign the Letter”), a drum, sidewalk chalk, talking points, and their voices. About 20 people attended the demo. They took the street in front of Fitzgerald’s house and chanted for him to appear.
OVER had announced publicly that they were organizing the demo, so police were expected. However, there was a surprising amount of cops surrounding the small, nonviolent crowd.
When Fitzgerald did not show despite chanting, about 6 attendees decided to approach his door and ring the bell, much like anyone would who wanted to speak with a neighbor. As soon as they reached the door, cop sirens wailed. An unmarked police car that was parked in front of Fitzgerald’s house flashed its lights. One police vehicle quickly came close to the crowd. Two security guards charged forward and yelled at the visitors on Fitzgerald’s porch that they had to leave the property or be arrested. The visitors complied, and the two security guards stood at the steps of the house for the remainder of the demo.
It was quite the spectacle for a small crowd of nonviolent protesters, and showed just what Rich Fitzgerald thinks of people who want to meaningfully address climate change and ecological devastation. While a neighbor proclaimed that Fitzgerald was not home, OVER made sure that Fitzgerald was aware of the time, day, and place of the demo. Fitzgerald could have chosen to be present, to send one of his staff members to be present on his behalf, or to acknowledge the demo publicly in some way. Even a sticky note on the steps saying “hey, sorry I can’t be here. Let’s talk another time,” would have shown more consideration and grace than sicking cops on his deeply concerned, nonviolent constituents.
The writer of this report believes that it is unethical for cops to be in unmarked cars, so they would like to make the community aware of the make, model, and license plate number of the unmarked car that they saw at the demo:
Black Chevrolet Impala License plate: JHA 0704
Please keep a lookout for this vehicle at actions in the Pittsburgh area. The cop inside of it was very pissy about anyone touching the car. Be safe!
You can send your report-backs, zine submissions, critiques, graffiti/action photos, demo tapes, hate mail, & memes to…
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Over 60 people have been charged with felonies in Pittsburgh for last summer’s protests.
Most of them aren’t famous. Most of them don’t have hundreds of Instagram followers, or on-line fundraising campaigns, or the backing of large activist organizations. Many of them are facing years in prison for the first and only protest they ever attended. Six of them are confined in Allegheny County Jail. An unknown number are also facing federal charges.
Some of them have private lawyers, but most are dependent on public defenders or the office of conflict counsel. A few have reached plea deals, some more favorable than others. Every one of them took the streets to express their anger and outrage at the police murder of George Floyd, and the vast majority are facing life-shattering consequences as a result.
Elsewhere the things are little different. A year after the George Floyd uprising, prosecutors across the country are still throwing the book at every protester they could get their hands on, aided by a virtual media blackout and the silence of liberal nonprofits.
To raise awareness of this situation, the National Lawyers Guild is circulating a petition (https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/drop-the-charges-blm) to drop all federal charges against Black Lives Matter demonstrators. We ask for organizations and individuals to sign it, and encourage their networks to do the same. In addition the Pittsburgh NLG chapter is raising money for legal support of all local protesters facing felony charges. Please donate at https://www.gofundme.com/f/pittsburgh-nlg-felony-defense-fund
You can send your report-backs, zine submissions, critiques, graffiti/action photos, demo tapes, hate mail, & memes to…
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On a brisk but lovely Saturday afternoon, some friends gathered in a park. We stood chatting and waited for more friends to arrive. Some rode bikes. Many carried backpacks. Of course, we all wore black.
First we gathered and shared among each other stickers, zines, and other printed material. Conversations about topics large and small, the news, the weather, etc. Eventually our group moved east down the park and did a grounding exercise. Immediately following we commenced an enthusiastic walk.
The ways that enthusiasm entered the world are familiar. The state continues to kill at will. At this point, we are literally chanting “I don’t want to say another motherfucking name” because of how many people have been murdered by police.
We walked in the street, even on more trafficked roads like Penn. Our route generally followed a meandering loop that ended back in the park where had started. At that point, people scattered like seeds.
Some takeaways:
We engaged with pedestrians and some of the drivers of the cars we passed. Police abolition remains a topic that people have Strong Opinions about. Bring zines! Literature passed to an onlooker might stay with them longer than your conversation.
Stay mobile! We put the juke shoes on to try to elude a small detachment of motorcycle cops. Getting down alleys, turning off of main streets only to pop out ahead of the cop trying to get in front of us, all frustrated them and disrupted more traffic. We made decisions as a group and more importantly executed on them decisively. There was even a small amount of barricade work followed by a turn to lose motorcycles.
Practice doesn’t make perfect but it will make permanent. Actions like this create camaraderie between the people who show up. These actions slowly sharpen the tactics and practices of people in the streets. There are things that happened today that didn’t happen the last time we were out. We’ll keep honing, testing, tinkering. Opportunities will present themselves to use these lessons.
Do the same. Get out there. Find each other.
In solidarity, – anonymous
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A group of about 15-20 comrades in bloc gathered in solidarity with Minneapolis & the family of Daunte Wright as well as expressing support of police /prison abolition in general. There was a brief chat consenting to the goal of the action & assessing the temp of the evening before taking the streets.
The group marched in Shadyside in a randomly chaotic way down busy streets like Ellsworth, Walnut, Fifth ave & eventually back to the original meeting point for a safe dispersal. Cops followed and blocked streets, often blocking 3 out of 4 routes seemingly forcing the group in one direction but at one point they marched towards the police literally forcing the SUV to back up onto fifth ave. Both hilarious & amazing.
Comrades passed out pamphlets/mini zines about abolition to those encountered during the march . Most if not all bystanders were very supportive// no negative “outside agitators” to report. Cops mostly kept their distance and corked streets unnecessarily.
Action felt super fun, not very stressful, autonomous & no set form of leadership or noticeable hierarchy. A++
You can send your report-backs, zine submissions, critiques, graffiti/action photos, demo tapes, hate mail, & memes to…
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Cracks in the Steel City is a filler column that recaps local news that anarchists in Pittsburgh may find interesting, with a particular focus on autonomous, illegalist, and insurrectionist activity. We also include information about fascist activity, state repression, and capitalist maneuvering.
All news content is sourced from anonymous submissions & communiques, social media, police reports, or capitalist media outlets. Because of this, all dates are approximates and may vary in accuracy.
According to police reports, 69 (nice) vehicles were stolen over the month of January. Capitalist media coverage indicates that the bulk of the vehicles belonged to UberEats drivers operating around the gentrified blocks of East Liberty, with a particular concentration between South Highland Avenue and the Google campus in Bakery Square. Many have been forced into the gig-economy, and while one can empathize with their struggles it is important to acknowledge that resistance to gentrification in East Liberty takes many forms.
January 4
Filler receives a report-back titled “Lessons in Expropriations” signed by DJ Cunnilingus, who writes,
I’m writing today from occupied Cherokee territory to describe a failed action undertaken by myself, inspired by media seen on the Filler Distro social channels.
I received a misdemeanor citation for shoplifting a few hundred dollars worth of merchandise at a big box corporate store, one whose profits have soared since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and whose workers have risked their lives for the same meager hourly wage. I was there for supplies for houseless survival kits: items such as backpacks, gloves, a sleeping bag, warm hats, several pairs of pants in various sizes, packages of socks and shirts, deodorant, tampons, toothbrushes and other toiletries in travel sized containers, first aid kits, covid masks, etc. I intended to assemble the supplies into kits and distribute them amongst the local houseless population, which has of course seen a boom recently.
The report goes on to describe exactly what went wrong, what lessons were learned, and then goes on to offer an outline for future strategic thinking.
January 6
Capitalist media reports “Dozens of tires slashed in Butler Co. mall lot after group went to Washington, D.C. [to attend the attempted pro-Trump putsch]. The cars were parked in the Clearview Mall parking lot after the group boarded buses.” The attack disabled dozens of Trumper’s vehicles.
January 13
A Sunoco in Bloomfield is robbed at gunpoint.
January 20
Filler receives two anonymous submissions regarding two banner-drops.
Banner-drop on the Bigelow pedestrian bridge: NO BORDERS NO WALLS NO PRESIDENTS AT ALL
Banner dropped from the 33rd Street train bridge: WE KEEP US SAFE 412-FUCK-12
January 24
A private vehicle with a “we support our Pittsburgh police” sign had its rear windshield smashed out in Lawrenceville.
On Thursday morning, a collection of autonomous activists blockaded the sole access road to the Shell Polymer’s office in Beaver, PA to protest the transformation of the Ohio Valley into a manufacturing hub for the petrochemical industry. Shell Polymers is a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, and they are constructing an ethane cracking facility in Beaver that will be used to turn fracked gas into plastic.
February
February 2
A WPXI headline reads “Teenagers terrorizing Pittsburgh neighborhood with bizarre crimes, police say.” The reality appears to be that a group of teens are having fun during quarantine by fucking with their white Karen neighbors; stealing their security cameras, setting dumpsters on fire, and pulling fire alarms.
Capitalist media reports that a man is arrested for making bomb threats against the federal building in downtown Pittsburgh. The suspect reportedly stated “the government owes me money.” The suspect will be charged with terroristic threats and threat to use weapons of mass destruction.
February 5
Local abolitionists launch a campaign to help community members incarcerated at the Allegheny County Jail regain access to commissary funds, recreation, showers, and video visits.
February 6
Pittsburgh Fash Watch released a community alert, “Crypto-fascists Discovered in Pittsburgh.” The dossier linked is an extensive and well-researched investigation into this local crypto-fascist network.
February 7
Capitalist media reports that an off-duty officer plowed his car into a home, injuring two.
February 12
Pittsburgh Fash Watch alerts community to continued collaboration between right-wing restaurant The Crack’d Egg and fascist group Iron City CRU.
Capitalist media reports that at 7am, a man crashed his pickup into a Sunoco in the Hill District and attempted to steal an ATM. After a few seconds of struggling to load the machine into his truck, surveillance footage shows a bystander try to help. The man drove off without the ATM, but was arrested a short time later on Fifth Avenue in Oakland.
February 14
Capitalist media reports that a man was tased and arrested early Sunday morning after assaulting a Pittsburgh Police officer. At some point during the altercation, the accused allegedly managed to pocket the officer’s keys.
Capitalist media reports “A Pittsburgh Police officer was taken to the hospital following his cruiser crashing into a home on Pittsburgh’s North Side.”
Capitalist media reports that a new phone scam is enjoying moderate success.
A Valentine’s Day noise demo takes place outside of Allegheny County Jail. The following report-back circulates social media:
Neither ice nor snow nor forecasted bitterly cold temps kept a big-hearted, masked- and bundled-up crew of some 50 of us from showing up outside Allegheny County Jail tonight to offer lotsa love to those still trapped behind bars. Our #Love4Abolition noise demo included a live band, a capella singing, and sound system tunes, all accompanied by lotsa banging on pots and pans and lotsa dancing, along with two illuminated banners (both with lite-up hearts), mutual aid from legal, medic, and food collectives, and the message pictured here—and best of all, reciprocal dancing, waving, and lights flashing on and off from those inside ACJ. To support ongoing solidarity efforts on the stolen lands of Pittsburgh to lend care to currently and formerly incarcerated folks in numerous ways, check out, get involved with, and/or donate to @jailbreakpgh and @bukitbailfund.
February 15
Capitalist media reports that two people were arrested in their vehicle outside of Home Depot with $1,300 in stolen goods.
February 16
The Graffiti Task Force releases photos of BATMAN BEYOND suspect.
Capitalist media reports that,
A suspect is in custody after shots were fired at a Braddock police officer. As soon as he saw the Braddock police car, he started shooting at him,” Daniele said. The chief said those bullets only hit the cop car. The suspect then took off, prompting an all-out search from nearly a dozen neighboring departments. “A dog tracked some snow prints to an abandoned home up here on Lobinger. County officers tracked the rest of it and realized there was a man barricaded in one of the houses up on the hill,” Daniele said. After SWAT and negotiators took over, that suspect was taken into custody and will be charged. Daniele told KDKA the man did have a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but it is not life-threatening. Medics did check him out on scene. During the course of the investigation, the car from the original call was reported stolen.
February 17
Capitalist media reported that police are looking for three suspects who stole two vehicles from a car dealership in Washington County. As of this writing, no suspects have been publicly identified.
February 21
Filler received the following photo-submission from MUTINY:
February 25
Filler receives anonymous report of alt-right graffiti in lawrencville. Shortly after, @pghfashwatch reports that anti-fascists have covered the graffiti.
Filler receives the following announcement:
412 Defense Funds is a list of active Pittsburgh felony defense funds related to the 2020 uprising. This site is an autonomous project, unaffiliated with any of the individual campaigns. In solidarity with all defendants. Only the State is guilty. 412defense.noblogs.org
February 26
Filler receives the following submission:
Corinne Rust Belt Tension Duval passed away at the age of 32. In every attack, every trespass, every reading group, every adventure, Corinne is present. She will never be forgotten. The State will feel the weight of our grief.
February 27
Filler receives a report that BLEACH has covered transphobic stickers that were spotted earlier in the East End.
Capitalist media reports “WESTMORELAND, Pa. — A Pennsylvania man searched for ‘how to set your car on fire and make it look like an accident’ on his cellphone before setting his vehicle aflame, investigators said.”
March
March 1
Three gas stations were robbed in under an hour. The first robbery was reported at the Marathon gas station along Penn Avenue in Lawrenceville around 1:25 Monday morning. Investigators say the second robbery was reported at the Shell gas station along Baum Boulevard in East Liberty about 20 minutes later, around 1:45 a.m.
In two of the robberies, two men, at least one of whom was armed, entered the businesses and demanded money, making off with cash and cigarettes.
“People are really hurting out here financially. It’s bringing a lot of problems on the workplace and the environment,” an employee told KDKA.
Pittsburgh Police have not said if it is the same two alleged suspects at each robbery. At this point, there is no description on any suspects.
March 2
Capitalist media reports that the Pittsburgh Police are cracking down on people illegally driving off-road vehicles on city streets.
Public Safety says in 2020, the city started seeing large numbers of off-road vehicles like ATVs and dirt bikes driving recklessly — taking over roadways and intersections, driving on sidewalks and in many cases, going in the wrong direction.
According to Public Safety, “flash mobs” or “ride-outs” have as many as 50 to 200 riders roaming Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods at any given time.
Public Safety says just in the past week, police issued eight citations and towed two vehicles from a ride-out event. One citation came from a traffic stop where a dirt bike rider was driving the wrong way toward police on N. Beatty Street.
Triblive quoted Pittsburgh police Commander Eric Holmes as saying, “We cannot address this problem alone and we are asking for the public’s help to put an end to these dangerous and disruptive ride-outs in the city.” Haha good luck with that, ya jag.
March 4
Pittsburgh City Council has decided to table its discussion of a “no-knock bill” for two weeks.
March 6
Filler received the following anonymous communique: “Last night I attacked several corporate store fronts as a modest contribution to the March 6 Day of Action, and as a means of grieving a lost loved one. I miss you, Duval.”
Filler received the following anonymous communique: “some friends went on a prole strole and smashed a few cameras, but one of them had an alarm attached to it that went off so be aware of that”
March 8
“Drop the charges” and pro-rioter graffiti photos begin circulating social media.
“RIP TENSION” & “RIP Duval” graffiti photos begin circulating social media.
Filler received the following anonymous report:
“mounted police on butler st and reported in troy hill, today is the first day of chauvins trial.”
March 10
After Chase Bank announced that they would be giving $200 gift cards to anyone who opens a new account, hundreds of Pittsburgh-area residents had their identities stolen and used to open fake Chase Bank accounts in their name. The bank expropriation scam does not appear to have used the stolen identities for any other purpose. Despite federal assistance, a multi-department police task force has yet to announce any leads on the case.
March 11
Filler received a communique from “team fuck shit” claiming responsibility for stealing 17 Peduto campaign signs.
Pittsburgh Fash Watch reports on the removal of transphobic stickers between 40th and 44th on Davison St.
Capitalist media reports that Pittsburgh Public Schools will be taking high school students to court for truancy, despite repeated attempts on behalf of the students and their families to demonstrate that they were unable to use Zoom or their home internet connection to attend online classes.
March 12
Filler received the following anonymous communique:
“Anarchists in Pittsburgh dropped a banner at a pedestrian bridge in solidarity with those fighting back against Line 3 and pipelines everywhere. Living in Pittsburgh makes us acutely aware of the risks of industrial pollution.”
March 13
Capitalist media reports that the Pennsylvania State Police will be canceling their Spring and Summer Youth Cadet Training Camps due to concerns over the COVID pandemic. At “Camp Cadet,” kids aged 12-15 are forced to dress in uniform, march in formation, and attend police seminars on build a positive relationship with law enforcement personnel in exchange for free food.
March 15
A noise demonstration is held in solidarity with community members incarcerated at the Allegheny County Jail.
Filler received acommunique from Ohio Valley Environmental Resistance:
“OVER & several affinity groups held a noise demo outside the home of Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald to protest his support of the petrochemical industry.”
March 16
New issueof Occupy Pittsburgh News dropped. It continues the paper’s coverage of how the Pittsburgh city government, local universities, private developers, and big tech are trying to bulldoze through two neighborhoods and Schenley Park to build a road used exclusively by “autonomous” vehicle shuttles for students & techies. The project also appears to deliberately worsen flood patterns in the hoods.
March 17
Pitt, CMU & tech giants launch ‘collaboratory’ that will “study how extremism is generated, how it shapes polarizing views, how it provokes illegal acts” & “develop tools that provide effective intervention for law enforcement” & “combating radicalism.” They also intend to develop methods of tracking radical networks that use encrypted networks. You know, to stop hate. Yeah. Thats why.
March 19
Two plainclothes, unidentified police followed, jumped and arrested two comrades after the climate strike. They did not identify themselves, and at least one comrade will be facing felony charges.
Filler received a report indicating that fascist graffiti in Oakland had been covered.
Capitalist media reports “Pennsylvania state House passes bill upping penalty for spitting on police officers.”
Under existing law, spitting on a police officer is treated the same as spitting on any other person. The perpetrator could be charged with disorderly conduct.
That currently could be charged as either a summary offense or a third degree misdemeanor, with penalties ranging from a fine of $25 to $1,000, and up to a year in prison.
Schmitt’s bill would bump up spitting, or knowingly throwing any other bodily substances, such as blood, urine, or feces, on a police officer to a first degree misdemeanor. That’s punishable with two-and-a-half to five years in prison, and a fine of up to $10,000. As written, the bill elevated the misdemeanor to a felony if the spitter had a communicable disease. The bill also specifically notes Hepatitis-B and HIV-AIDS.
This matches the existing law for “bodily fluid assault,” Schmitt said.
Right now, the only specific statute covering spitting applies if the offender is a prisoner. In that case, spitting on anyone else, including a police officer or corrections officer, is automatically a felony if the prisoner is “infected by a communicable disease, including, but not limited to, [HIV] or hepatitis B.”
March 20
Despite the COVID shutdown, federal investigation, and brief autonomous blockades like the one in January, Shell announced that the cracker plant in Beaver County will be fully operational in 2022. Unless more delays occur, of course.
Google announces plans to expand its little company-town in Walnut Capital’s Bakery Square.
The snitch-seeker squad & surveillance task force are re-mobilized. Civil Affairs and DAAT can eat shit.
Filler received the following anonymous submission:
“Looks like someone capped the duo lingo mural. Maybe they’ll leave better art work up or pay someone in the community to paint it next time. Fuck tech giants.”
March 22
Pennsylvania State Police and the bomb squad were called to a Walmart in Westmoreland County for a suspicious package.
Find each other.
You can send your report-backs, zine submissions, critiques, graffiti/action photos, demo tapes, hate mail, & memes to…
Filler_PGH@protonmail.com
We’ll try to publish your report // promote your content // reply in a reasonable amount of punk time.
Send reports in email form, as an attachment, or better yet, on an easy to use (and free) Riseup Pad or CryptPad.
Submission from Ohio Valley Environmental Resistance (OVER) received on 03.15.21
On Sunday March 14th in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, the Ohio Valley Environmental Resistance with the help of several affinity groups held a noise demo outside the home of Allegheny County Executive Richard “Fitz” Fitzgerald to protest his support of the petrochemical industry in Southwestern PA. The activists chose March 14th to coincide with Pi day (3.14) which is celebrated by science enthusiasts around the world. In honor of Pi day, OVER created a paper mache Pi filled with plastic made to symbolize plastic in the world’s food supply.
Fitzgerald recently made national headlines by responding to Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s’ comments about Pittsburgh and the Paris Climate Agreement by stating “we believe in science around here” and “climate change is real.” Mainstream news networks grabbed on to these comments and Fitzgerald’s similarity to the actor Jeff Daniels without delving any further into Fitzgerald’s actual record on environmental issues.
Fitzgerald was one of the largest recipients of fossil fuel interest money in the state of Pennsylvania in 2017-2018. In 2014 his administration pushed for fracking underneath a county owned park by Range Resources despite widespread community opposition and a campaign that lasted for eight months. Fitzgerald also ignored environmental advocates by encouraging fracking near Pittsburgh International Airport and has been a strong supporter along with Donald Trump of the Shell Ethane Cracker Plant in Beaver County Pennsylvania.
The plant is currently under construction and will emit over 2 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalents every year along with produce 1. 6 million tons of ethylene plastic “nurdles” that are used to make plastic products. The plant also will receive 1.6 billion dollars in tax breaks from the state of Pennsylvania in exchange for reversing all of the progress the Southwestern Pa has made to combat climate change and for producing more plastic to poison the world’s water and food supply.
Protesters used pots, pans, drums, speeches, chants, and songs to create noise. They also placed door hangers on neighbors’ doors to explain why they were creating such a ruckus. Neighbors were mostly supportive although one person did attempt to drive through the crowd Fortunately the bikes blocking the permiter marshalled the driver through the crowd as people called the driver a “jagoff” (Pittsburghese) for not taking another residential side street.
Two members of OVER attempted to confront Fitz by knocking on his door and leading the crowd in a chant to “come out now!” As expected the lights were on, but Fitz did not show.
OVER has three demands they are making of Fitzgerald:
Fitzgerald must publicly declare that he was wrong about the economic and environmental consequences of fracking.
He must never again court fracking and petrochemical companies to come to Southwest PA.
Ban fracking on county owned land.
To Contact Fitzgerald at his office, call 412-350-6500.
Ohio Valley Environmental Resistance (OVER) is a coalition of climate justice organizations and independent activists who are demanding the cessation of the petrochemical buildout in the Ohio Valley. OVER intends to engage in sustained resistance until its demand is met.
On Thursday morning, a collection of autonomous activists blockaded the sole access road to the Shell Polymer’s office in Beaver, PA to protest the transformation of the Ohio Valley into a manufacturing hub for the petrochemical industry. Shell Polymers is a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, and they are constructing an ethane cracking facility in Beaver that will be used to turn fracked gas into plastic.
Marketed to the region as a job creator, the cracking facility will release 2 million tons of C02 every year along with 522 tons of volatile organic compounds that are linked to respiratory disease. The plastic the plant creates will add to the existing waste in oceans and landfills that are poisoning habitats for earthlings everywhere.
In an effort to avoid the dangers of climate change, the industry has set its sights on the Ohio Valley as its next sacrifice zone. Other cracking facilities and related infrastructure have been proposed in parts of Ohio and West Virginia despite the glut of plastics on the world market. If constructed, these facilities will help create a new Cancer Alley like what already exists in Louisiana.
While people in the affected regions surrounding the plant participated public hearings to voice opposition to the plant, they were ignored by both Shell and local government, so now those people are trying something else. Stay tuned for more action from these people standing up to the corporations at the root of the Sixth Mass Extinction.
You can send your report-backs, zine submissions, critiques, graffiti/action photos, demo tapes, hate mail, & memes to…
Filler_PGH@protonmail.com
We’ll try to publish your report // promote your content // reply in a reasonable amount of punk time.
Send reports in email form, as an attachment, or better yet, on an easy to use (and free) Riseup Pad or CryptPad.
Cracks in the Steel City is a filler column that recaps local anarchist news that you may have missed while doom-scrolling, with a particular focus on autonomous, illegalist, and insurrectionist activity as well as updates on state repression.
All news content is sourced from anonymous communiqués, social media, police reports, or capitalist media outlets. Because of this, all dates are approximates and may vary in accuracy.
A variety of leftist posters and event flyers are wheatpasted across the city in seriously huge numbers. One poster was a beautiful tribute to the memory of our Jewish neighbors who were murdered in the fascist attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018. We will outlive them!
Filler received dozens of submissions from various crews and individuals competing to steal the most election propaganda.
A Subway restaurant in Carrick got robbed. As of this writing, police have yet to identify any suspects.
A man wearing a radio earpiece robbed the Dollar Bank at 537 Smithfield Street. As of this writing, Pittsburgh police have yet to identify the suspect.
November 2
Several Pittsburgh politicians homes and offices were vandalized with anti-electoral and revolutionary messages. Probably Maoists but interesting regardless.
November 4
Filler received this anonymous communiqué:
On N4, about ~50 people interrupted a Socialist Alternative speech for the first militant breakaway march Pittsburgh’s seen in a hot minute. Even though it quickly became clear that this bloc had no consensus of what to do with their brief moment of autonomy – dispersing after a riotous 30 minutes with 3 arrests – it should still be celebrated as the first real break with “the” leadership that has sought the pacification of the movement ever since the riots of May 30 & June 2. This is how we find each other.
November 10
KDKA reports “Police Looking For Man Suspected Of Killing Juvenile Probation Officer In East Liberty.” As of this writing, the accused person continues to evade capture.
November 17
Anti-fascists clean up MAGA and infowars graffiti in Bloomfield and North Oakland.
November 20
Several magistrates’ offices were vandalized in the Pittsburgh area. The post gazette reports, “The front doors & window of the office were damaged, as foam had been sprayed between the double doors, epoxy was poured into the hinges & keyhole…” & the doors were u-locked shut and covered in the message “EVICTION IS VIOLENCE.” One person was arrested for their alleged connection to the action after their vehicle was identified at the scene via security footage. When police searched the vehicle, they claim to have found plans for the action still inside, including maps and a note that read “don’t leave stuff behind, ditch it.” Police suspect that there were other accomplices, but as of this writing they remain unidentified. Nice.
November 23
Pittsburgh police raided the home of a local anti-fascist and BLM community organizer without a warrant. The pigs brandished weapons at the comrade’s child and did not Mirandize upon arrest.
November 24
Around 1am, an unarmed individual robbed the BP gas station along West Liberty Avenue. As of this writing, Pittsburgh Police have yet to identify a suspect.
November 27
Pittsburgh Police report that at around 2am, a man entered the Sunoco on North Craig Street in Oakland, went behind the counter, smashed the register, and stole everything in it.
At 5am, another store is robbbed on Banksville Road.
November 29
A man suspected of robbing a Rite Aid now faces a slew of charges related to serial robbery. Pittsburgh Police claim that, during interrogation, the alleged suspect confessed to robbing three convenience stores in three days.
November 30
An anonymous anti-fascist spots American Defense Skinheads and other Nazi propaganda stickers in the North Side and alerts their community. Several hours later, Filler received the following anonymous communiqué:
Crew removed 15-20 ADS stickers w ‘blood and soil’ & ‘diversity is not our strength’ wording in the 4 square blocks encompassed by E North Ave, Cedar Ave, East St, E Ohio St
December 1
“Welcome to ACAB World”
Filler received an anonymous communiqué and several photographs:
Last night we vandalized 13 parking meters because fuck parking tickets. With love, – some anarchists
December 4
Pittsburgh Police and local capitalist media resume their pathetic attempts to identify alleged May 30 rioters. A spontaneous campaign to flood the snitch hotline with false tips organically materialized.
December 5
Two people robbed a gas station at gunpoint in Bethel Park. One suspect has been arrested. KDKA reports that police are still asking for the public’s help in identifying his alleged accomplice.
December 8
Two individuals shoplift over $2,100 in merchandise from a Walmart in Indiana County. As of this writing, police have yet to identify any suspects.
December 10
After piece-of-shit-pig Paul Abel got fired from the Pittsburgh Police force, Pittsburgh Fash Watch revealed that he was trying to join the gig economy. A community warning is issued.
December 14
The East End is drowned in anti-police slogans and Bleach.
Anarchist graffiti writer Sappho passes away. Her name still echoes across Pittsburgh’s streets.
December 18
A graffiti message declaring solidarity with political prisoners in Denver, Colorado is spotted on the North Side.
December 19
Security camera footage circulating on social media shows three individuals with sleds cut a hole in a fence that obstructs access to a steep hill.
December 20
After a pig got shot, police retaliate against the entirety of McKeesport, raiding random homes without warrants and establishing illegal checkpoints at major roadways. Shit was fucked, but not surprising. We encourage folks to look at the logistics of what happened and study the counter-insurgency tactics police deployed.
December 22
A Washington County convenience store is robbed at gunpoint. As of this writing, police have yet to identify a suspect.
A Subway restaurant in Rochester Borough is robbed. As of this writing, police have yet to identify a suspect.
December 31
The following report-back is circulating social media:
There’s no better New Year’s Eve tradition than a noise demo, and maybe because of this #FuckCOVID19 year, there was no better noise demo than the one outside Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh. Mutual aid projects, begun or solidified during the pandemic, with relationships inside and outside this huge jail’s walls, organized this display of “We 🖤 you” (including the illuminated banner pictured here) with utmost regard for #CollectiveCare from start to finish. The playlist for loud mobile sound system, for instance, was gathered by getting call-in requests from incarcerated folks this past week, and promotion for the demo was via trusted yet diverse circles (rather than social media) based on a framework of what makes for solidarity and a desire to strengthen bonds over the longer haul, including with family supporters of those inside. The approx 100 of us included everything we needed or could have wanted—from medics, scouts, emotional aid, and legal observers to a live samba band, projected words of solidarity, hot chocolate setup, hand warmers, and tons of ways to make noise, light, and dancing. The demo was timed with when folks inside could still call out, so we heard via phone that they could, say, see the “We 🖤 you” banner outside, though that was clear too from the many hands held up inside the jail windows forming heart shapes to us. People inside the multistoried fortress danced along with us, flashed their cell lights off and on, and made quick DIY signs to share outward in reply to us, including one that said “We ❤️ yinz” (a sweet Pittsburgh thing). Our noise and light demo didn’t abolish prisons, or help alleviate the death sentence that prisons have become under COVID-19; it didn’t change this miserable, fascistic world. Yet for about 3 hours, the walls fell just enough to allow joyous connection, and a sense that our love and solidarity is stronger than their cages.
You are not alone. We are everywhere. Find each other.
merry crisis and a happy new fear, -filler
You can send your report-backs, zine submissions, critiques, graffiti/action photos, demo tapes, hate mail, & memes to…
Filler_PGH@protonmail.com
We’ll try to publish your report // promote your content // reply in a reasonable amount of punk time.
Send reports in email form, as an attachment, or better yet, on an easy to use (and free) Riseup Pad or CryptPad.
As Pittsburgh joins the ranks of cities disappearing protesters into unmarked vans, we implore our fellow residents of Pittsburgh to resist the urge to fixate on procedural details. What happened yesterday was fucked up, and it would have been no less fucked up had the officers been uniformed and the van been clearly marked and all the proper paperwork been filled out. What happened yesterday was fucked up in all the same ways that it’s always fucked up when the PPD, or the DHS, or ICE or whoever, kidnaps a member of our community, regardless of what they’re wearing and what they’re driving when they do it.
Police abductions in unmarked vans scare us because they lay bare the absurdity at the heart of the institution of policing, an absurdity that we are conditioned not to see when the cops are wearing the right clothes and driving the right car. When the van isn’t marked, the spell is broken, and we see the police for what they are, a segment of society arbitrarily allowed to kidnap and kill with impunity.
You are right to be unsettled by what happened yesterday, but please see it for what it is,not an aberration or even a significant escalation, but an exposition into the expected behavior of an inherently violent and oppressive institution that we have tolerated for entirely too long.
– Some Pittsburgh Anarchists
You can send your report-backs, zine submissions, critiques, graffiti/action photos, demo tapes, hate mail, & memes to…
Filler_PGH@protonmail.com
We’ll try to promote your content // reply in a reasonable amount of punk time.
Send reports in email form, as an attachment, or better yet, on an easy to use (and free) Riseup Pad or CryptPad.
