2009-09-22
PITTSBURGH — A federal judge ruled Tuesday against two protest groups that had claimed that the Pittsburgh police had harassed them in the lead-up to the G-20 summit meeting that will be held here on Thursday and Friday.
Judge Gary L. Lancaster ruled that the two groups suffered no “irreparable harm” by three separate police searches last weekend of members of the Seeds of Peace Collective, a group that provides medical care and food to protest groups.
Judge Lancaster also said he would not stop the city from conducting further searches or detaining members of the group or of a larger group, the Three Rivers Climate Convergence, “particularly given the fact that the heads of state of 19 countries and the European Union will be in Pittsburgh this week.”
Lawyers for the organizations said they would continue to pursue their damage claims against the city.