Thirteen pro-Palestine protesters arrested during a Downtown Boston demonstration on Tuesday, Oct. 7 will face charges of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and disturbing the peace, according to a Boston Police Department report shared with The Beacon Wednesday morning.
The protesters gathered to mark “Two Years of Genocide” in Gaza. They also called for a free Palestine and urged people to boycott companies that have been associated with support for Israel.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced that an agreement on a ceasefire in Gaza had been reached. This first phase of the deal between Israel and Hamas includes the withdrawal of Israeli troops to an agreed-upon line and the release of all remaining hostages by Hamas.
The conflict between Israel and Palestine has been ongoing for almost a century, with the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in 2023 that killed 1,200 in Israel marking the most recent escalation in the contentious history of the region. The current humanitarian crisis and military action by Israel has since killed over 67,000 people in Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, and was recently declared a genocide by the United Nations.
The protest, which drew hundreds, began Tuesday night at The Embrace statue on Boston Common before marching up Tremont Street, where the arrests then occurred by the Park Street T stop. Clashes between police and protesters broke out as demonstrators from Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) began crossing Tremont Street near Winter Street shortly before 7 p.m.
In the ensuing moments, while protesters set off smoke flares, various officers detained protesters, holding them down so they could be zip-tied. Arrestees were later transported to police wagons near Park Street Church. One protester was seen with a potential leg injury after being tackled and carried away by several officers, while another was seen being treated by other protesters for pepper spray exposure, according to Beacon reporters on the scene. BPD wrote in their report that no arrestees required medical attention.
According to the BPD report, the violence began as protesters surrounded police cruisers, kicked vehicle doors, and resisted dispersal efforts when officers attempted to move the group to the sidewalk to allow emergency vehicles to pass.
Most protesters will be, or already have been, brought before a Boston Municipal Court judge for arraignment on assembly-related charges, such as disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace. One protester, who is a student at Tufts University, has also been charged with assault and battery on a police officer, destruction of property, unlawful assembly, and assault and battery resulting in serious bodily injury.
The additional charges stem from BPD reports regarding injuries to officers, including one officer struck in the face, and destruction of police property when the arrests began. Four officers were transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, according to BPD’s police report on Wednesday morning.
Several other protesters arrested were also affiliated with Boston area colleges, including four Emerson students, two Tufts students, and alumni from campuses across Boston.
In an email statement to The Beacon, a college spokesperson said the following with regard to the Emerson students arrested:
“As a practice, the College does not comment on individual conduct issues. The College is aware that some of our students were among those arrested during the demonstration on Boston Common on Tuesday evening, and we are working with the Boston Police Department to gather additional facts,” the statement said.
It continued, “To be clear, Emerson College condemns violence in all its forms, including attacks on law enforcement. All Emerson students are expected to uphold College policies and abide by local, state, and federal laws within and beyond campus property. The College will follow its conduct procedures to ensure accountability among our community members. As always, our top priority remains the safety and security of our entire community.”
“Officers made numerous arrests of individuals engaged in unlawful assembly, violent resistance, and the obstruction of emergency response efforts,” police said in their report.
Various Boston officials have issued statements about the arrests, including Mayor Michelle Wu, Governor Maura Healey, and members of the Boston City Council, who spoke out against the protesters. They also expressed concern that protester clashes, which followed other instances of street violence during the week, could result in a National Guard deployment to the state.
“Boston will not tolerate violence, and we categorically condemn those who came into our community to attack our police officers,” Wu said in a Wednesday morning statement obtained by The Beacon. “The individuals who engaged in these attacks must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” she continued.
“Protest peacefully—that’s your right. But blocking traffic and attacking police are not, and anyone who does should be held fully accountable,” Healey said in a statement posted on X Wednesday morning.
Those who were not arraigned on Wednesday are set to appear in court today.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include the college’s statement.
