A planning meeting for a rally next week meant to sway UPMC not to close its hospital in Braddock turned contentious after Braddock Mayor John Fetterman accused Council President Jesse Brown of "playing politics."

Mr. Brown led the meeting of 60 or so residents, political officials and community organizers at the theater in the Carnegie Braddock Library, in which they brainstormed ways -- from filing court injunctions to mounting a public protest -- of keeping the hospital open in Braddock. UPMC announced late last month that it would shutter the facility in January.

At one point he accused Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato of favoring construction of a new hospital in Monroeville over keeping Braddock's hospital open.

"He's running for governor," Mr. Brown said of Mr. Onorato during a time designated for public comment. "He's not interested in us anymore."

Mr. Fetterman then walked up and asked to speak, but Mr. Brown refused to cede the microphone. This led to a grabbing match between the two men, with crowd members booing and jeering. Eventually, Mr. Brown agreed to give the microphone to Mr. Fetterman.

"That's a disgrace for you to play politics when our hospital is closing," Mr. Fetterman said. "Dan is a decent man."

Mr. Fetterman preferred to put the onus of the hospital's closure on UPMC itself, and he noted that he repeatedly criticized the hospital giant in national media outlets.

Eventually, Mr. Brown tried to grab the microphone back from Mr. Fetterman while he was speaking, and the physically imposing Mr. Fetterman held it behind his back and above his own head to keep it out of Mr. Brown's reach so he could keep speaking. When he finished with his comments, he gave the microphone back to Mr. Brown and left.

Rally organizers have tentatively scheduled an event at the hospital for Nov. 19.

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