Pittsburgh officials condemn Jan. 6 Capitol attack

Pittsburgh officials were united Tuesday in formally condemning the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and affirmed there is no place in Pittsburgh for the views that led up to the Washington insurrection.

Council members Erika Strassburger and Corey O’Connor sponsored the will of council that condemns what happened and urges the city’s people, institutions and corporations to adopt anti-extremist values and to condemn and reject “misinformation, disinformation, hate and extremism in all forms.”

The measure passed unanimously and was done so to call attention to the harms these views have on society and to “keep us all safe,” according to the text of the proclamation.

Mayor Bill Peduto supported the measure.

The legislation notes that in 2019, domestic extremists killed 42 people in 17 incidents nationally, according to a report by the Anti-Defamation League. The vast majority of these incidents were linked to right-wing extremism and white supremacy, the ADL found.

On Oct. 27, 2018, the killing of 11 worshippers at Tree of Life synagogue in Squirrel Hill became the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history. Strassburger and O’Connor represent the neighborhood on council.

The legislation affirms officials’ commitment to countering extremist views and misinformation “through engagement with community leaders, governmental transparency and public information-sharing.”

It also called for the investigation and prosecution of those who participated in the Jan. 6 insurrection “in a manner that is consistent with civil liberties.”

O’Connor and Strassburger said the legislation speaks for itself. Strassburger said Pittsburgh is one of several cities across the country that formally issued the condemnation at the behest of the ADL.

Pittsburgh has long been a city that embraces common decency.

In 2019, ceremonial “Kindness Zone” signs were put up at 23 areas across Downtown and the North Side to honor Fred Rogers’ legacy.