The June 19 killing of Antwon Rose II at the hands of a police officer once again revived the age-old conversation about civil disobedience. Activists and residents of Pittsburgh and surrounding areas banded together to call for accountability and justice. Protesters made noise and blocked roads, disrupting traffic and other daily activities.

Residents not partaking in the action seemed split over what these demonstrations should look like and what they accomplish.

For a deeper understanding, we looked to activists and history to offer a clearer view of the debate over civil disobedience.

This is the first installment in a three-part series in which we are taking a step back to explain important concepts bubbling below the surface of topical issues in Pittsburgh.

Jourdan Hicks is a community reporter at PublicSource, she can be reached at jourdan@publicsource.org.

Ryan Loew is PublicSource’s visual storyteller/producer. He can be reached at ryan@publicsource.org or on Twitter at @RyanLoew.

Help us continue telling stories like this one.

We’re Pittsburgh’s Public Source, an independent, nonprofit newsroom. That means we rely on donations from readers like you to help us report accurate, timely and impactful stories for the Pittsburgh region — available to everyone without paywalls.

Everyone deserves access to credible information to understand and help shape the region they call home, which is why we work hard everyday to deliver fact-checked stories on education, environment, health, local government and more.

We've seen our journalism prompt widespread change in the Pittsburgh region — but none of it would be possible without the support of our community. If you found this story valuable, consider "paying it forward" by making a gift today.

GIVE NOW

MOST READ STORIES

Jourdan is a senior community correspondent at PublicSource. Previously, Jourdan was engaged as a community-based educator in the Hazelwood section of the city. A lifelong Pittsburgh resident, she’s...