State Police report 51 people were arrested at three locations during last night's wending Ferguson protest march, which made its way from one highway ramp to another in what turned out to be vain attempts to block a highway.
Some 33 people were arrested on or near the Mass. Ave. Connector, where protesters first tried to walk onto I-93 south; 17 in Dewey Square; and 1 person on a ramp down to the O'Neill Tunnel at Purchase Street, State Police say.
All are scheduled to be arraigned today in either Roxbury Municipal Court (Mass. Ave. Connector) or Boston Municipal Court on disorderly-person charges. The person arrested on the tunnel ramp also faces a charge of trespassing on turnpike property.
State Police say one protester bit a trooper on the wrist. The trooper was treated by Boston EMS.
State Police say they kept their eye on protesters both in person and online:
Our Commonwealth Fusion Center monitored social media and other open-source information sources throughout yesterday and last night and provided critical intelligence about protesters' plans to try to disrupt traffic on state highways.
They add:
We will maintain an increased presence around potential demonstration sites in Boston throughout the next few days.
Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!
Ad:
Comments
There are better ways to protest
By raz611
Wed, 11/26/2014 - 12:07pm
Is this a protest against anyone who happens to be driving at the moment? Seems like the only thing they did was try to disrupt traffic. What is the point of that? Just as some people use any excuse to riot or loot, these people are using it as an excuse to disrupt traffic and get on TV - hardly much better. I don't call it a peaceful protest if they are trying to shut down streets and get on the highway - the police should have arrested far more than the 51 that they did.
Definitely
By Kaz
Wed, 11/26/2014 - 12:32pm
They should peacefully protest in a net cafe over some chamomile where nobody will be bothered by their presence. Hell, the cafe will even benefit from their business. That will surely get the word out that they are angry at the goings-on in the world!
But what if the Westboro Baptist church did this?
By Pete Nice
Wed, 11/26/2014 - 12:35pm
I think there would be a different approach in defending their rights to free speech.
So what
By Kaz
Wed, 11/26/2014 - 12:50pm
Traffic has been stopped for WBC protests and counter-protests before. World keeps turning. I think we are safe.
Highways?
By raz611
Wed, 11/26/2014 - 1:20pm
Since when has the WBC ever attempted to shut down highways to protest? There is a difference between working with police and protesting on a city street while traffic is directed around it, and trying to get onto the highway and cause as much disruption as possible.
Frankly, I think that activism has its limits
By mplo (not verified)
Wed, 11/26/2014 - 1:26pm
Frankly, I think that activism of any kind definitely has its limits as to how far it can be taken before it begins to disintegrate into total anarchy. Imho, blocking traffic, blocking or attempting to block highways, etc., should be off-limits to protestors. People who wish to organize a protest should be willing to obtain a permit to protest on special routes that consist of streets that're closed off to vehicular traffic for the purpose of protesting, or they should be limited to large public parks.
Have you ever been to this city called Boston?
By lbb
Wed, 11/26/2014 - 2:19pm
Have you ever driven in the area? Have you ever been in a traffic jam? Ever get stuck in non-moving traffic for an hour because someone dozed off or spilled their Dunks or changed the CD or got a text? It happens ALL. THE. TIME. And you put up with it day in and day out, but the second, the SECOND, that traffic is disrupted because of people protesting, oh no, THINGS HAVE GONE TOO FAR.
You people are moral weaklings. That's the only name for you.
No matter what the reason for non-moving traffic jams,
By mplo (not verified)
Wed, 11/26/2014 - 2:56pm
they're inexcusable. The reason that these kind of unmoving traffic jams have occurred is because the police haven't handled things very well to begin with.
Here's a suggestion, lbb: Don't go calling people moral weaklings just simply because they're not willing to take stupid risks just for a cause, and/or to take chances with arrest, beatings, jail, or possibly worse. Thanks.!
I've lived in, driven through and been in traffic jams in boston
By mplo (not verified)
Wed, 11/26/2014 - 3:00pm
for most of my life, and I still think that non-moving traffic jams, no matter what they're caused by, are inexcusable, imho. Here's a suggestion, lbb: Don't call me a moral weakling for not wanting to get involved in stupid stuff just for a cause (or anything else, for that matter). Thanks.
Well said Pete Nice.
By O-FISH-L
Wed, 11/26/2014 - 1:00pm
Not just the Westboro Baptist Church Pete, imagine the reaction if a handful of elderly religious were caught praying outside an abortion mill. The far-left would pass a law against it.
Lies
By Felicity
Wed, 11/26/2014 - 1:26pm
They SCREAM at and harass pedestrians, that have nothing to do with Planned Parenthood.
BMC, Juvenile Court results
By adamg
Wed, 11/26/2014 - 3:56pm
The Suffolk County DA's office reports it moved to have disorderly conduct or disturbing the peace charges against 18 people (two also charged with trespassing) changed to civil infractions. These were then dismissed.
Segun Idowu, 26, of Mattapan, however, declined the offer and requested a trial on the criminal charge. He was arraigned and released on his own recognizance.
Francis Donald Brooks III, 30, of Randolph, had prior convictions for assault and battery, which meant his disturbing the peace charge could not be changed to a civil infraction. Instead, he was arraigned and then had the criminal charge dismissed, the DA's office reports.
Antonie McKoy, 25, of Dorchester, had an extensive record and an active warrant out of Quincy District Court. However, he skipped out of court before his arraignment, so now he has a new warrant out for his arrest.
The people arrested ranged in age from 19 to 32 - 12 from Boston, the others from Cambridge, Newton, Quincy, and Somerville and Los Angeles.
In Juvenile Court, a Boston resident, 17, was charged with delinquency, to wit, disorderly conduct. Her case was dismissed prior to arraignment on the condition that she perform 10 hours of community service. Another teen will be summonsed in for arraignment at a later date.
Thanks Adam
By Waquiot
Wed, 11/26/2014 - 4:24pm
I've got to doubt the intelligence of Tony McCoy. I mean, you know you have warrants. Just stay with the herd and avoid getting arrested.
A friend who went through this type of civil disobedience a while back was surprised how easy the process goes. He was advised to bring a credit card along for bail.
Abortion protestors used to do this all the time....
By Pete Nice
Wed, 11/26/2014 - 11:29pm
Then the judge started making people to go jail for a month for the 2nd offense, and the protests stopped.
The antiabortion protestors were/are stupid, too,
By mplo (not verified)
Thu, 11/27/2014 - 2:07am
and vicious, to boot.
Good for the judge for making these anti-abortion protesters go to jail for a month after a 2nd offense. Anything that can get such people to stop bullying people in the street who are just asserting their rights to make whatever choice they feel like regarding their bodies, and for reproductive rights.
I think it's a bummer that it
By anon (not verified)
Wed, 11/26/2014 - 6:38pm
I think it's a bummer that it went down the way it did. I don't know what the answer is, but blocking traffic when people are trying to get home to their loved ones for the holiday doesn't sound like a great way to get people to see your point of view.
It also seems a little bit like preaching to the choir. People who think there was no wrongdoing aren't going to understand why people are protesting. People who see the problem don't need protesters to point it out to them. I get that peaceful protests are a right in this country, but instead of shutting down streets, what if all those protesters had spent a few hours volunteering in their community, or writing a blog post/article about their point of view, or having a discussion with a friend or family member about their concerns for society.
These days there are better ways to make your opinion known, aside from standing in a group and chanting. I also have to wonder if people know how often non-threatening people are killed by law enforcement. While I think it's horrifying, I also think it's weird that some are protest-worthy but most are not. And how about when any murderer isn't charged or is set free? These things are equally upsetting to me. Again, I don't know the answer, but if I protested everything I disagreed with in society, I would be standing in the street every night. There has to be a better way.
Pages