KDKA Radio Editorial: Pittsburgh Police Chief Prevented Protest Violence

Police in riot gear cleared an occupied building at Columbia University, arresting dozens of people. Law enforcement was called to stop fights at UCLA where protesters on both sides of the Israel/Hamas conflict became violent.

These scenes didn’t unfold at Pitt and there are good reasons why.

Students were quickly asked to move their protest off campus to nearby Schenley Park on day one.

Police Chief Larry Scirotto asked protest leaders how law enforcement could accommodate them while keeping things peaceful.
At the same time, conditions were set for the protesters and when some students tried to set up a tent on university property they were quickly arrested.

After six days, the protest ended without incident. Setting boundaries, frequent communication and making arrests after the first offense prevented chaos.

Chief Scirotto says it was a team effort involving the mayor's office, Pitt administrators, Pittsburgh and campus police, but he deserves most of the credit for a job well done under difficult circumstances.

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