Watch CBS News

'This Was Beautiful': Pittsburgh Police Chief, Officers Join Protesters During 7th Consecutive Day Of George Floyd Demonstrations

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Several Pittsburgh police officers, including chief Scott Schubert, marched with hundreds of protesters down West Liberty Avenue on Friday.

WATCH: KDKA's Shelby Cassesse Reports Live From Outside The McDonald's

protestbeechview
(Photo Credit: KDKA)

KDKA's Shelby Cassese was one the scene of the protest, which started in Beechview outside the McDonald's on West Liberty Avenue. It marked the seventh consecutive day of local protests following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

"We're all here together, something has to change. I got chills, this was beautiful," protester Angelica Plutko said.

At the start, the group left the McDonald's and headed toward the Liberty Tunnel.

While marching toward the tunnel, the group stopped and sang "Happy Birthday" to Breonna Taylor, who would have turned 27 years old on Friday. Taylor was shot and killed by police officers in Louisville last month.

The group, including chief Schubert, took a knee outside the tunnel and observed a moment of silence for Floyd.

"It's been many, many decades, if not a couple hundred centuries or more, of harm that minorities are feeling. And rightfully so, the pain that they have from all the injustices over the years," Schubert said.

"I think this is a time now where we can come together and try to do the right thing, to make the right changes, and not just knee jerk changes but substantive changes," the chief added.

schubertprotests
Photo Credit: KDKA/Shelby Cassesse

A police line closed the tunnel as protesters sat on West Liberty Avenue.

policetunnels
(Photo Credit: KDKA)

After taking a knee outside the tunnel, protesters turned around and went back up West Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh Public Safety said. The group returned to the McDonald's parking lot around 5:55 p.m.

"We're just wanting to be heard. We're just people of color who want to feel just as important," organizer Camille Redman said.

The group then left peacefully.

"All this craziness going on, that's not what we want. We want it to be peaceful. We want our message to get across," protester Dashai Bryant said.

Earlier on Friday, protesters began gathering in Friendship Park in Bloomfield Friday for a demonstration the city's East End.

WATCH: KDKA's Shelby Cassesse Reports Live From Outside The Liberty Tunnel

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.