Police arrest 5 protesters outside Continental Real Estate office
Homestead police Thursday arrested five protesters singing hymns and blocking the entrance to the office of developer Continental Real Estate Cos. at the Waterfront shopping mall.
Continental officials called police after refusing to meet with 20 protesters from the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network, a group representing 25 congregations and seven religious organizations in the Pittsburgh area.
The network has teamed with Northside United, a pro-labor group, in a public campaign to persuade the Columbus, Ohio-based developer to negotiate a "community benefits agreement" that would guarantee well-paying jobs and finance social programs for impoverished city dwellers living in economically depressed neighborhoods of the North Side.
Continental has partnered with the Pittsburgh Steelers to build a 5,500-seat, $7 million amphitheater near Heinz Field and is working with Hyatt Hotels to built a $27 million Hyatt Place hotel near PNC Park. City police arrested four Northside United protesters who gathered at Continental's Del Monte Building on July 16.
Frank Kass, chairman of Continental, said his company is the developer and builder of the two projects, not the operator. PromoWest Productions of Columbus will operate the amphitheater, and Hyatt will run the hotel.
"I have no idea what they want with the exception of a color piece of paper they gave us months ago asking us to insulate the windows in their homes," Kass said.
The Rev. John C. Welch, president of the interfaith network and parish associate of Bidwell Presbyterian Church in Manchester, said the requests are simple.
"We want to make sure they hire people from the community so they can make a living wage," Welch said. "If civil disobedience is what it takes to get the attention of those on Grant Street and Harrisburg, that is what we will do," said Welch, who attended the rally but was not arrested.
Kass said the hotel and amphitheater are being built with union labor.
As for jobs in the hotel and amphitheater once they're open, he said, "I don't hire or fire one person who will work there. They need to talk to the operators."
Kass said Continental won't negotiate with the groups.
"We don't even respond to these guys, yet they even come to Columbus and protest from time to time," he said.
Ken Love, pastor of Kerr Presbyterian Church in Penn Hills, said he refused to move from Continental's doorway after a secretary told the group it was not welcome. Instead, they stood singing a hymn "We Are Standing On Holy Ground."
Police charged him and his four companions with summary offenses of defiant trespass and disorderly conduct.
"It wasn't a violent protest," Love said. "We wanted the attention."
Continental officials called police after refusing to meet with 20 protesters from the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network, a group representing 25 congregations and seven religious organizations in the Pittsburgh area.
The network has teamed with Northside United, a pro-labor group, in a public campaign to persuade the Columbus, Ohio-based developer to negotiate a "community benefits agreement" that would guarantee well-paying jobs and finance social programs for impoverished city dwellers living in economically depressed neighborhoods of the North Side.
Continental has partnered with the Pittsburgh Steelers to build a 5,500-seat, $7 million amphitheater near Heinz Field and is working with Hyatt Hotels to built a $27 million Hyatt Place hotel near PNC Park. City police arrested four Northside United protesters who gathered at Continental's Del Monte Building on July 16.
Frank Kass, chairman of Continental, said his company is the developer and builder of the two projects, not the operator. PromoWest Productions of Columbus will operate the amphitheater, and Hyatt will run the hotel.
"I have no idea what they want with the exception of a color piece of paper they gave us months ago asking us to insulate the windows in their homes," Kass said.
The Rev. John C. Welch, president of the interfaith network and parish associate of Bidwell Presbyterian Church in Manchester, said the requests are simple.
"We want to make sure they hire people from the community so they can make a living wage," Welch said. "If civil disobedience is what it takes to get the attention of those on Grant Street and Harrisburg, that is what we will do," said Welch, who attended the rally but was not arrested.
Kass said the hotel and amphitheater are being built with union labor.
As for jobs in the hotel and amphitheater once they're open, he said, "I don't hire or fire one person who will work there. They need to talk to the operators."
Kass said Continental won't negotiate with the groups.
"We don't even respond to these guys, yet they even come to Columbus and protest from time to time," he said.
Ken Love, pastor of Kerr Presbyterian Church in Penn Hills, said he refused to move from Continental's doorway after a secretary told the group it was not welcome. Instead, they stood singing a hymn "We Are Standing On Holy Ground."
Police charged him and his four companions with summary offenses of defiant trespass and disorderly conduct.
"It wasn't a violent protest," Love said. "We wanted the attention."