Pittsburgh police arrest 3 at Trump rally protests
Three people were hauled off in handcuffs following the chaos that briefly erupted outside Donald Trump's campaign rally Downtown on Wednesday night.
The Republican front-runner was followed by protesters throughout his day in Pittsburgh, first at a stop at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum in Oakland and later at a rally in the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. About 8,700 people attended the rally, according to the Secret Service and an event coordinator at the convention center.
As Trump supporters waited in line to be admitted to the Downtown event, dozens of police officers stood between them and a wall of anti-Trump protesters along 10th Street. Police said there were more than 1,000 protesters.
Police said three people in the crowd of protesters began to pepper spray and attack police.
Kennon Hooper, 31, of West Oakland; Lisa Cuyler, 27, of Polish Hill; and Maxwell Yearick, 29, of Perry South each were charged with riot and aggravated assault, authorities said. Hooper and Yearick also were charged with resisting arrest.
All three remained in the Allegheny County Jail on Thursday night, unable to post bail. Court records do not list an attorney for them.
Hooper sprayed one officer with pepper spray and kicked that officer in the hand and the back of the knees, police said. As police attempted to arrest Hooper, Cuyler jumped on another officer's back and was placed under arrest.
Yearick attempted to fight and grabbed an officer's protective vest after the officer was sprayed with pepper spray, police said. Another officer attempted to place Yearick under arrest, and he pushed her to the ground.
Four officers were injured, and three others were hit with pepper spray, authorities said.
Protesters and Trump supporters also were hit by the pepper spray.
Police did not deploy their pepper spray, spokeswoman Emily Schaffer said.
It is unclear whether the other people injured were Trump supporters or protesters.
All injuries were treated on-scene by paramedics, authorities said.
No injuries were reported and no arrests were made at Trump's appearance in Oakland, where he taped a segment with Fox News personality Sean Hannity. Protesters blocked traffic as they marched down Fifth Avenue to the convention center around 5 p.m.
Several officers followed them and directed traffic, authorities said.
Eighteen officers were inside the convention center, 10 were outside directing traffic and 30 others wandered through the crowd, authorities said.
Staff writer Tony Raap contributed. Elizabeth Behrman is a staff writer for the Tribune-Review. She can be reached at 412-320-7886 or Lbehrman@tribweb.com.
