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Between 200 and 300 people participated in a demonstration in downtown Boston on Tuesday night after what began as a pro-Palestinian protest quickly turned into a riot.
In total, 13 people were arrested after police say people in the group became violent toward police officers. The agitators also blocked an intersection, according to police.
“When officers attempted to move the group to the sidewalk to allow emergency vehicles to pass, protesters surrounded police cruisers, kicked vehicle doors and resisted dispersal efforts. Several officers were assaulted during this period, including one struck in the face. Protesters also ignited smoke devices and flares, further endangering officers and bystanders,” the Boston Police Department said in a statement.
Police said “as violence escalated,” more officers were deployed to the area while agitators “continued to resist dispersal.”
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During the melee, police officers reported that rioters were forcibly removing and damaging their equipment.
“During the disturbance, officers reported equipment being forcibly removed or damaged, including body-worn cameras, radios, bicycles and other duty gear,” the agency said.
Boston police made arrests for unlawful assembly, violent resistance and the obstruction of emergency response efforts.
Osama Khatib, 26, Roder Atwood, 21, Atalanta Carrig-Braun, 20, Haley MacIntyre, 24, Madeline Weikel, 27, Jacob Pettigrew, 22, Amun Prophet, 25, Laith Hintzman, 19, Benjamin Choucroun, 20, Owen Woodcock, 26, Prahlad Iyengar, 25, Styx Hatch, 19 and Gabrielle Smith, 28, were arrested on Tuesday night.
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According to Boston.com, the initial protest was organized by local Students for Justice in Palestine chapters, which coincided with the two-year mark of the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack by Hamas.
The protest was intended to “flood downtown for Palestine.”
According to the report, people yelled “F— you, Nazis” and “BPD is KKK” as they refused to leave the area.
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In a statement, Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu said that those who engaged in attacks on police will be prosecuted to the “fullest extent of the law.”
“We are extremely grateful for the work of the Boston Police in keeping the city safe and in supporting the right to peacefully protest. Boston will not tolerate violence, and we categorically condemn those who came into our community to attack our police officers. The individuals who engaged in these attacks must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Wu said.
Protesters on Wednesday also showed up to the arraignments of those who were arrested during the riot on Tuesday night, according to the Boston Herald.
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