Pro-Palestinian protesters arrested in Boston after clash with police
A group of protesters arrested during a demonstration near the Boston Common that ended with four injured Boston police officers and 13 arrests appeared in court Wednesday to face charges. According to the police report for the incident, the demonstration was organized by Students for Justice in Palestine, a branch of the group Boston Coalition for Justice in Palestine.Police said protesters began moving from the Boston Common toward Tremont and Winter streets just before 7 p.m. Tuesday.Officials said the group kicked a marked cruiser, assaulted officers and blocked traffic, while setting off devices that emitted red smoke into the air.Thirteen people, eight men and five women, who were arrested in the aftermath were arraigned in Boston Municipal Court on charges that include resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace.The suspects are Osama El Khatib, 26, of Watertown; Roder Atwood, 21, of Somerville; Atlanta Carrig-Braun, 20, of Boston; Haley Macintyre, 24, of Dorchester; Madeline Weikel, 27, of Watertown; Jacob Pettigrew, 22, of Malden; Amun Prophet, 25, of Allston; Laith Hintzman, 19, of Boston; Benjamin Andre Choucroun, 20, of Medford; Owen Woodcock, 26, of Boston; Prahlad Iyengar, 25, of Boston; Styx Hatch, 19, of Boston; and Gabrielle Smith, 28, of Cambridge.Atwood was also charged with assault and battery on a police officer and destruction of property.Four police officers were injured in the chaos, with two being sent to nearby hospitals. Boston police say some of the injured officers suffered broken bones, but all injuries have been deemed non-life-threatening. A source tells sister station WCVB that one officer also sustained a broken nose in the melee."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," Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said in a statement early Wednesday. Video sent to WCVB from The Berkeley Beacon showed officers struggling with protesters on the ground while others in the background shouted, "Get off of them!"Another video showed protesters lined up in front of officers with their arms linked as they chanted, "The people united, will never be defeated." "Another night of violence against police officers in Boston tonight. Our officers were attacked, assaulted and sent to the hospital with injuries," said Larry Calderone, the president of the Boston Police Patrolmen's Association. "Completely despicable and totally unacceptable! We were outnumbered and understaffed for the event. We need to put more officers out on the street at these events and help protect ourselves from their ruthless attacks. It's happening far too often lately with no repercussions." The protest was held on the second anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, where 1,200 civilians were killed and 251 people were taken hostage. Tuesday evening's incident comes just days after a marked Boston police cruiser caught fire after fireworks were launched at it during a "staged attack" early Sunday morning near Massachusetts Avenue and Tremont Street. Two Rhode Island men were arrested and are now facing several charges in the incident.
