Downtown Pittsburgh was like a ghost town this afternoon as preparations for the G-20 conference swung into high gear. Barricades were put up along the street in the area near the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. I spent the afternoon walking around town photographing and it seems like most of the people who work downtown have either taken the week off or are working from an alternate location.
Police on horseback patrolled the streets. I must say that to see a group of huge animals with police turned out in riot gear bearing down on you would definitely give anyone a nervous fit. As it was the officers were most likely just out familiarizing themselves with the layout of the streets downtown.
Mounted Police on Ft. Duquesne Blvd. by the D.L. Lawrence Convention Center
Earlier in the afternoon a mural project was unveiled by Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato near the City County Building on Ross St. The mural which honors each of the G-20 nations, was designed and painted by 30 young volunteers working with 30 artists. It’s kind of out of the way and exists in a fenced-in empty lot, but it’s very well done.
Joy Taylor, 22, touches up a part of the G-20 mural in downtown Pittsburgh.
Tomorrow should be lots of fun with a protest march from Lawrenceville to downtown scheduled for 2 p.m. It’ll be interesting, I’m sure.
Joe