As Donald Trump arrived in Pittsburgh to headline an AI Summit at Carnegie Mellon University, ACT UP Pittsburgh and a coalition of local activists staged a visceral, unapologetic funeral procession to mourn the lives lost due to the GOP’s draconian budget reconciliation bill. The action was the first since ACT UP Pittsburgh’s reformation.
Protesters dressed in mourning garb, many in black veils, others carrying cardboard coffins, took to the streets with signs and chants condemning the deadly consequences of Medicaid cuts, housing rollbacks, and corporate tax giveaways. The march began at 5th and Wilkins and ended with a rally at Schenley Plaza, in the shadow of the Cathedral of Learning. There, speakers drew connections between queer survival, economic justice, and anti-austerity resistance.
“Dave McCormick and Donald Trump are part of a political machine that sees our lives as disposable,” said one demonstrator. “This is not symbolic. People will die because of these decisions, and we’re here to mourn and organize.”
Following the initial demonstration, ACT UP joined with Indivisible Pittsburgh and other organizations in a larger march toward the Carnegie Mellon campus. Tensions escalated when Pittsburgh Police confronted protesters at Craig Street and Forbes Avenue, demanding they move back. In a disturbing show of force, officers deployed pepper spray on a group of about 25 demonstrators and threatened arrest. The crowd retreated to sidewalks, and police began to disperse around 6 p.m. No arrests were reported.
This protest carried the spirit of ACT UP’s radical legacy, grounded in rage, grief, theatrical resistance, and direct confrontation with systems of power. Amid banners emblazoned with pink triangles and chants of “Act Up! Fight Back!”, Pittsburgh’s queer community reminded the city that this fight is far from over.
“We’re not just here for a day,” another protester said. “We’re here for the long haul and we need everyone with us.”
Photos by Maya Lovro.
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