Pennsylvania police officer punches BLM protester after loud shouting match

Black Lives Matter protesters got into an altercation with police in Pittsburgh that ended with a black officer striking one of the protesters, according to images captured at the scene.

A group of roughly 20 activists gathered to protest the death of Jim Rogers, who died in the hospital after being tasered by eight police officers in October. Several officers from the Wilkinsburg Police Department and others soon arrived on the scene and declared the event an unlawful assembly, ordering the group to stop blocking the street.

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When the group continued to ignore police orders, officers attempted to arrest one of the protesters. Another activist stepped between the arresting officer and the protester, leading to a violent scuffle in which the officer punched the intervening protester, who then fell to the ground.

Another officer with a police dog pushed protesters away as the first officer held the activist down.

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It took less than five minutes from the moment police exited their vehicles for the scene to deteriorate. Police arrested both the first protester and the activist who attempted to intervene, though that individual was released later Saturday.

Pittsburg fired five of the eight officers who used tasers on Rogers, the city announced at the end of March. Rogers' death was ruled an accident, however, and the other three officers will remain in their posts.

The Wilkinsburg Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.