National File by Ben Bailey
A Black Lives Matter (BLM) protest near Pittsburgh this past Saturday turned confrontational when police tried to disperse protesters who were blocking a street. Tensions escalated, which led to a BLM activist being punched by a Pittsburgh area police officer, which knocked them to the ground. The protester, a transgender individual, was struck after getting physical with the officer in an attempt to prevent him from making an arrest.
The protest was held in response to the death of Jim Rogers, a black man who died after police used a taser on him in October 2021. Rogers, who was 54 years old, died at the hospital a day after being taken into police custody. Five Pittsburgh police officers have been let go from the force for their connection to Rogersâ death. The five officers are currently disputing the decision while a lawsuit from Rogersâ family against the City of Pittsburgh has been filed…
