Section 7. Freedom of Press and Speech; Libels
The printing press shall be free to every person who may undertake to examine the proceeding of the Legislature or any branch of government, and no law shall ever be made to restrain the right thereof. The free communication of thoughts and opinions is one of the invaluable rights of man, and every citizen may freely speak, write and print on any subject, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty. No conviction shall be had in any prosecution for the publication of papers relating to the official conduct of officers or men in public capacity, or to any other matter proper for public investigation or information, where the fact that such publication was not maliciously or negligently made shall be established to the satisfaction of the jury; and in all indictments for libels the jury shall have the right to determine the law and the facts, under the direction of the court, as in other cases.
Section 20. Right of Petition
The citizens have a right in a peaceable manner to assemble together for their common good, and to apply to those invested with the powers of government for redress of grievances or other proper purposes by petition, address or remonstrance.
Using powerful megaphones mounted on a truck, the police announced in English and Spanish: "By order of the City of Pittsburgh chief of police, I hereby declare this to be an unlawful gathering. I order all of those present to immediately disperse."
At one stage, the authorities deployed teargas and they repeatedly used an ear-splitting siren to get bystanders to leave. A pattern developed as the crowd dispersed before reconvening a few streets away and marching to taunt lines of stony-faced police.
Now how is it that peaceful protesters according to our own constitution are being told that it is a unlawful gathering? There CAN BE no UNLAWFUL gathering of peaceful protesters according to our state constitution!
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