Pittsburgh Public Safety Has Declared 'Unlawful Assembly' Downtown, Urging Businesses To Close, Residents To Stay Home

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Pittsburgh Public Safety has declared an unlawful assembly downtown.

We have declared an unlawful assembly Downtown. This follows repeated acts of violence, property damage and looting of businesses, which is ongoing. Residents please stay home. Businesses should close. If you are Downtown, leave the area. https://t.co/bGzF3ZeWEQ

— Pgh Public Safety (@PghPublicSafety) May 30, 2020

They are urging residents to stay home and businesses to close.

The protests began around 2:30 p.m., with hundreds of people making their way downtown, chants of "Don't Shoot," "Black Lives – They Matter Here," and Floyd's famous last words "I can't breathe" were chorused by the crowds of people marching with signs in the streets.

Around 4:00 p.m., the protests went from peaceful to violent.

Protestors lit two Pittsburgh Police cruisers on fire and vandalized the area around the Mario Lemieux statue outside of PPG Paints Arena.

Also, according to KDKA's Royce Jones, as protestors moved toward I-579, some people were throwing rocks at Pennsylvania State Police cars.

We will have team coverage on KDKA News at 6:00 & 7:00.