Pittsburgh G20 Summit

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Pittsburgh G20 Summit

Postby marmot » Wed Sep 23, 2009 3:20 pm

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G20 Security

Postby marmot » Wed Sep 23, 2009 3:29 pm

Image

Officials: G-20 Summit security not an issue

By Jeremy Boren
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, September 23, 2009


Counterterrorism agencies warned Tuesday of "terrorist interest" in attacking sports stadiums, hotels and entertainment venues, but authorities in Pittsburgh said no such threats confront the Group of 20 summit.

"Right now what we're looking at is a pretty safe environment," said FBI Special Agent Jeffrey Killeen. "We're not really addressing any particular threat, but of course we have eyes and ears on the ground, and we are definitely concerned about potential threats."

Forty agencies will work around the clock from 8 tonight to 10 p.m. Friday in the Multi-Agency Communications Center to handle emergencies, monitor more than 200 surveillance cameras, and safely orchestrate the movements of dignitaries from 19 countries and the European Union attending the G-20 summit that begins Thursday.

Security officials gave the media a tour of the facility but asked that its location not be made public.

A force of 2,500 National Guard troops, 1,200 state troopers, 875 city police and small groups of officers from outside agencies will patrol the Golden Triangle and Oakland during the summit in the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, officials said.

National Guard troops, the largest security force, won't be armed during the summit but will be paired with law enforcement officers carrying guns, said Maj. Gen. Randall Marchi of the Pennsylvania National Guard.

"We're here to assist local officials. They requested that posture, but we do have the capability of increasing that posture, depending on the threat," he said.

It's not unusual for National Guard troops to be unarmed, as they were, for example, during the 2008 Republican National Convention in Minneapolis.

More than 200 Coast Guard members will be armed as they patrol the rivers in 25-foot boats and keep a 4-mile stretch closed to all commercial and recreational traffic.

Between 6 a.m. Thursday and 10 p.m. Friday, no boats will be allowed between Lock Wall One Marina near the 16th Street Bridge on the Allegheny River, the 10th Street Bridge on the Monongahela River and the West End Bridge on the Ohio River, officials said yesterday.

James McCarville, executive director of the Port of Pittsburgh Commission, said companies that haul cargo through the area tried to adjust their schedules accordingly.

Workers will start shutting Downtown roads tonight. Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato said people will "just have to be creative in getting to work" during the summit.

City Public Safety Director Michael Huss said a "very complex and dynamic plan" is in place to handle any emergency.

"We have a plan assembled that can deal with anything in the region," he said. "We're not going to tolerate any illegal behavior."


Reactions to the counterterrorism warnings were mixed.

The nationwide alert from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security appeared to be triggered by the arrest of Najibullah Zazi, 24, an immigrant from Afghanistan working as an airport shuttle driver in Denver.

Law enforcement officials feared Zazi was involved in a plot to put backpack bombs aboard trains in New York City, similar to attacks in Madrid in 2004 and London in 2005.

"I feel pretty safe, quite frankly," said Bob Page, spokesman for the Omni William Penn.

The Downtown hotel has "some pretty extreme measures in place" to protect more than 800 rooms reserved by the government, including 250 for the president and his support staff, according to federal records.

Port Authority police, including bomb-sniffing dogs, will step up patrols of "T" light rail stations and major facilities, said spokesman Jim Ritchie, even though the agency is on high alert.

Most bus service into Downtown is being shifted to the south and east ends of Downtown to avoid the security perimeter around the convention center.

At Pittsburgh International Airport, the Transportation Security Administration hired 35 additional screeners to help the 300 security officers who run checkpoints, said agency spokeswoman Ann Davis.

Downtown post offices on Grant Street and Fourth Avenue will be closed through Friday, but postal workers will try to deliver mail to addresses in the restricted traffic perimeter.
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Postby MacCruiskeen » Wed Sep 23, 2009 3:44 pm

A force of 2,500 National Guard troops, 1,200 state troopers, 875 city police and small groups of officers from outside agencies will patrol the Golden Triangle and Oakland during the summit in the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, officials said.


Plus helicopters, plus motorboats, plus...

Reminds me of when GW Bush visited Berlin in 2004. Literally the entire inner city was shut down so that he and Schoeder could have a cosy meal in a certain 5-star restaurant. I have never seen so many policemen in my life, nearly of them in riot gear, most of them very heavily armed, and many of them with dogs. Whole streets were blocked off by armoured cars and water-cannon. Residents in the affected area had to show ID to get through, and even then often didn't succeed. It was like a dystopian SF movie. (I think one of the main criteria was audibility; if the many protestors were kept far enough away from the distinguished visitor, then he might not notice how embarrassingly unpopular he was.)

At any rate it was scary, and it was certainly designed to be scary.

Thanks for posting this, marmot. Please keep us updated.
"Ich kann gar nicht so viel fressen, wie ich kotzen möchte." - Max Liebermann,, Berlin, 1933

"Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts." - Richard Feynman, NYC, 1966

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Re: Pittsburgh G20 Summit

Postby Penguin » Wed Sep 23, 2009 4:04 pm

marmot wrote:Even though I told my girlfriend that I've retired from RI, I still thought (with me being a local boy) it was my duty to put together, and if need be, update a Pittsburgh G20 thread.


Good to hear from you.
Promised to girlfriend eh? ;)
Thanks for the eyes on the ground, keep your head down when the ugly shit starts.
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Postby marmot » Wed Sep 23, 2009 4:49 pm

...
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Postby JackRiddler » Wed Sep 23, 2009 5:38 pm

.

Spectacular photos.

Thanks for these dispatches, marmot!

(If you will: Why did you leave so abruptly and with such a curt, mid-thread announcement? I didn't really get it.)
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Postby JackRiddler » Wed Sep 23, 2009 6:35 pm

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Oh, and I hope you'll stick around. The question was meant in the friendliest and most welcoming way!
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Postby stefano » Wed Sep 23, 2009 7:41 pm

marmot! Good to see you.
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Postby leobloom23 » Wed Sep 23, 2009 8:25 pm

Hey Marmot I live in Brentwood (home of the racist killer kops (see Jonny Gammage)) and Ive seen the Black Helicopters also. I work in the Strip District so I'll be takin the next coupla days off. I plan on going dahntahn on Friday to take some photos and soak up some atmosphere, it should be interesting!
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Postby marmot » Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:20 pm

JackRiddler wrote:(If you will: Why did you leave so abruptly and with such a curt, mid-thread announcement? I didn't really get it.)


Not much to get. I had an interesting photo that I wanted to share with the board and instead of dumping it in the "images only" thread I posted it in the "For Hugh...." thread where - there - I quite simply said "goodbye." I figured at least the Hugh Dog would see I made an exit.

...

JackRiddler wrote:Image


quite ironic isn't it?
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Postby marmot » Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:24 pm

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Postby marmot » Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:38 pm

stefano wrote:marmot! Good to see you.

thanks stefano... feels good to be back - however momentarily.
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Postby marmot » Thu Sep 24, 2009 2:23 pm

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ImageImage


Governor Announces New York National Guard Support for G20 Meeting

Five Helicopters and Crews Support Pennsylvania National Guard

ALBANY, NY (09/23/2009)(readMedia)-- Governor David Paterson announced today that the New York Army National Guard is providing five helicopters to support the G20 Summit being held being held Thursday and Friday in Pittsburgh.

"I am proud that the New York Army National Guard is available to support our sister state as Pennsylvania hosts this vital economic summit," Gov. Paterson said. "The men and women of the New York National Guard are always ready for any mission, any place."

Four UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, and a CH-47D Chinook heavy lift helicopter, are providing transportation support for 2,500 Pennsylvania National Guardsmen and women, as well as police and other security forces as leaders of the worlds 20 largest economies meet Thursday and Friday.

Two of the UH-60's are normally based at Albany International Airport and two work out of McArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma. The CH-47 is base at the Greater Rochester International Airport.

Twenty-three Soldiers deployed to locations in Western Pennsylvania with the helicopters on Monday and they are due to return on Saturday.

The New York Army National Guard aircrew and helicopters are flying in support of the Pennsylvania National Guard's Joint Task Force G20 which is executing Operation Steel Kickoff, security support for the G20 Summit involving 2,500 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen working at the direction of the Secret Service.

The National Guard forces are operating under the control of the Governor of Pennsylvania under compacts that allow National Guard forces from one state to be loaned to another.
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Postby beeline » Thu Sep 24, 2009 4:50 pm

Posted on Thu, Sep. 24, 2009


G-20 march turns chaotic on streets of Pittsburgh
DANIEL LOVERING and MICHAEL RUBINKAM

The Associated Press

PITTSBURGH - Protesters and police are clashing on the streets of Pittsburgh after police tried to break up a march opposing the Group of 20 summit.

Protesters rolled trash bins toward police and a man in a black hooded sweat shirt threw rocks at a police car, breaking the front windshield. Some protesters also are using pallets and corrugated steel to block a road.

Officers fired pepper spray and smoke at the protesters. Some of those exposed to the pepper spray were coughing, complaining of eyes watering and stinging.

The march began with several hundred protesters. It did not have a city permit and police declared it an unlawful assembly. The group broke into smaller groups after being confronted by police.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

PITTSBURGH (AP) , Protesters and police are clashing on the streets of Pittsburgh after police tried to break up a march oppposing the Group of 20 summit.

Protesters rolled trash bins toward police and a man in a black hooded sweat shirt threw rocks at a police car, breaking the front windshield. Some protesters also are using pallets and corrugated steel to block a road.

Officers fired gas at the protesters. Some of those exposed to the gas were coughing, complaining of eyes watering and stinging.

The march began with several hundred protesters. It did not have a city permit and police declared it an unlawful assembly. The group broke into smaller groups after being confronted by police.

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20090924_ap_g20marchturnschaoticonstreetsofpittsburgh.html
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Postby beeline » Thu Sep 24, 2009 4:52 pm

It did not have a city permit and police declared it an unlawful assembly.


Freedom of Assembly, anyone? I mean, it's the first fucking one.
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