Watch CBS News

'No KKK, No Fascist USA': Anti-Trump Protesters And Pro-Trump Supporters Clash On The North Shore During Ongoing Trump Boat Parade

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A local Fourth of July celebration has taken a partisan turn in Pittsburgh.

Trump Team PA and Women for Trump have organized a boat parade to celebrate Independence Day and President Donald Trump. The parade is supposed to start at 11 a.m. Saturday below the Hot Metal Bridge on the Monongahela River. The parade will reportedly go up from the Monongahela River to the Ohio River and then up the Allegheny River.

"This will be a PEACEFUL & NON-Confrontational celebration of our President and ALL Law Enforcement & First Responders," organizers said in a press release.

The organizers expect thousands of people to attend, according to our partners at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

A local activist group, Pittsburgh, I Can't Breathe, organized a counter-protest to the Trump rally, which started at 10 a.m. on Saturday. The group calls their event "Shut It Down" in reference to the boat parade.

Additionally, KDKA spotted a heavy police presence in the South Side Works responding to the event and counter-protest. Public Safety tweeted early Saturday morning that the counter-protest has remained peaceful but that they will arrest anyone throwing or dropping objects.

Protesters were on the move as of 10:51 a.m. Saturday. They chanted "No Justice No Peace," "No KKK No Fascist USA," and "Black Lives They Matter Here" as they marched.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The protesters moved to the pedestrian walkway of the Hot Metal Bridge.

KDKA saw that police have spaced out on the bridge and wore riot gear.

Public Safety tweeted at 11:11 a.m. that pro-Trump boaters were now on the water and reminded people to "stay hydrated."

Protesters chanted "it is illegal to drive through protesters" after a car attempted to drive through the intersection where protesters were located. The intersection is South Water Street and Hot Metal Street.

Protesters chanted "we shut it down," as they planned to move to the North Side.

Hot Metal Street is currently blocked off across the bridge to East Carson.

Public Safety tweeted that the intersection of Hot Metal Street and South Water Street is closed to traffic.

Protests moved to the North Shore this afternoon, with pro-Trump supporters and anti-Trump demonstrators clashing. Police are attempting to create a barricade between the two sides with horses.

Public Safety has warned the public to stay away from the area.

As of 1:04 p.m., police had escorted the Trump supporters away from the pier where anti-Trump supporters remain, chanting "this is what community looks like."

Public Safety tweeted that both sides were dispersing from the area as of 1:11 p.m. Saturday.

Stay with KDKA as we follow this developing story.

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.