After police cleared a Palestinian protest camp at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 25, 2024, police were called out to arrest pro-Palestinian supporters who were blocking the road. According to Boston police, 108 people were arrested and four officers were injured when they broke up the camp. (Photo by: Joseph Prezioso/AFP) (Photo by: JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP, Getty Images)
The pre-dawn arrests of 108 people at Emerson College led to politicians opening fire on police who warned students they had no choice but to pitch tents in public.
Social media videos of the police sweep show protesters being forcibly removed from Boylston Place around 2 a.m. Thursday, with some protesters refusing to form a scrum. Protesters linked arms and chanted, “We’re staying safe.”
The university’s campsite is located in an alleyway leading to the state transportation building downtown, so as local residents expected, police moved in and the arrest was livestreamed on some social media platforms.
Boston police, with backup from Massachusetts State Police, arrested a total of 108 people during the escalation.
Four officers were injured, three with minor injuries and one with more serious injuries, said department spokesperson Sgt. Det. John Boyle. He told the Herald Thursday morning that no demonstrators had reported any injuries.
But students told media throughout the day that they did not leave completely unscathed, with some suffering from “open wounds” from zip ties.
In a statement, City Council President Lousie Louiseune condemned the police response and said all students “have the right to feel safe” during protests.
“I caution against heavy-handed responses to protests,” she wrote. “While there are legitimate concerns about public safety, the mere presence of tents does not transform a peaceful protest into a non-peaceful protest.”
City Councilman Ed Flynn issued his own statement, complimenting Emerson College for showing “extraordinary discipline and professionalism during this time.”
“Emerson College provided protesters with more than sufficient time to respect the city of Boston’s rules,” he wrote. “After a period of time, in the interest of public safety and accessibility, the protesters were professionally removed and arrested by the Boston Police Department.”
Body camera footage from the scene showed Lt. Sean Martin telling protesters that he and his fellow officers did not want to arrest anyone and supported their right to protest. . But Martin also expressed concerns about the location of the encampment and how the department received complaints from neighbors.
“You guys have been protesting all day,” Martin said around 1:30 a.m. …We were planning to come down around 10pm and we were trying to give you all space to do this. But at some point, they have to go to work in the morning too. We try to be reasonable with all of them. We’re not going to overdo it, I gave you guys a few extra hours. ”
Martin told the crowd, “Feel free to answer any questions and talk to anyone you want to talk to me.” The captain then finished by saying, “You have to be open-minded.”
This prompted him to stand at the front of the demonstrators and chant “Free, Free Palestine.” Martin is then heard telling the officers to begin making the arrest.
Emerson’s college newspaper, the Berkeley Beacon, liveblogged minutes after a police officer was seen reading out the city’s illegal camping ordinance, which prohibits individuals from pitching tents or tarps on public property. It was posted that the arrests began at 1:45 a.m.
“Boston is a city where protecting the right to protest is very important to us,” Mayor Michelle Wu told reporters at an unrelated morning event. On the spot without incident.
“Here, we have communicated with school officials, organizers and people on the ground that tents in particular pose safety and health hazards and fire hazards,” she said. .
Arrested protesters crowded into the fifth-floor hallway of Boston Municipal Court, where they expected to be arraigned just hours after being released from their encampment. However, the arraignment was postponed until early next month because the judges were attending a conference in the morning.
Antonio Viana, an attorney with the National Lawyers Guild, met with a small group of students in a side conference room before the eight men appeared in court and said they were released on personal recognizance and are scheduled to return to court in May. I learned that.
“They were peacefully protesting until Boston police arrived,” Viana told reporters in the courthouse hallway. “Today in this courtroom, I heard people use expressions like “anti-Semites” and “future Hamas members.” It’s not even profitable.”
Emerson’s arrest sparked college protests across the country, sparked anti-Semitism against fellow Jewish students, and led to strong Jewish voices, including Patriots owner Robert Kraft, at his alma mater, Columbia University. It came amid condemnation of anti-Israel “violent hatred” protests.
Jay Barnhart, Emerson College’s new president, wrote Wednesday that the college “supports our community’s right to express its views through protest.” However, it must be done in a manner consistent with the laws of the City of Boston and the State of Massachusetts. ” The statement was co-signed by the university’s leadership team.
Organizers, the Emerson Palestine Justice Student Association, posted on Instagram during the altercation: “Urgent assistance needed. Police are approaching Emerson ASAP and we need a body.”
“They continue to play games and try to intimidate students,” the group added. “We need community support for the rest of the night as soon as possible. Now, now, now!
In an interview with the Berkeley Beacon, Emerson SJP organizer Amrita Bala highlighted how she was released from the Hyde Park police station after being arrested early Thursday morning.
“It was scary,” Bala said. “They started to tear us away from the crowd and throw us to the ground.”
On Thursday afternoon, the university provided counseling and support resources to community members seeking support on campus, Bernhardt wrote in an update. Staff and administrators were at the scene during the altercation, and the staff appeared in court and at the police station with the students.
“Emerson College recognizes and respects the civic activism and passion that sparked the protests at Boylston Place Alley in support of Palestine, while also expressing concerns related to the numerous ordinance violations caused by their encampment. ” Professor Barnard wrote. “We also understand that encampment removal has a significant negative impact on our community.”
About 20 protesters showed up at Cambridge City Hall late Thursday afternoon to express solidarity with the students, as six uniformed police officers stood at the building’s entrance.
As an Arab Muslim who has “always held the Palestinian cause close to my heart,” Cambridge public school teacher Munira Freifel is proud to stand in solidarity with her students, and her UCLA daughter also participated on campus. He said he was doing it.
“In my opinion, in my understanding, the student movement was never wrong,” Freifel said while waving a Palestinian flag outside City Hall. … “It is a pity that so few people have come here, but despite the fact that this situation has been going on for the past six months, more and more people are raising awareness and feeling the courage to come here and take a stand.” “I hope the students will do it.” ”
The protesters said they plan to continue supporting the students protesting and speaking out on their behalf.
“I am Jewish and I want more of the Jewish community to know that there is actually a path to peace and that there is a lot of misinformation out there,” says a young protester. Jake said, noting the backlash from Jewish and Israeli friends and associates. family. “I really, really hope that other Jews and other people who are receiving a flow of misinformation will have a little more empathy and understand why people are protesting for Gaza.”
Encampments have also been set up at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Tufts University, and Northeastern University, where demonstrators denounce the Israeli invasion of Gaza and civilian casualties, and hostages taken by Hamas terrorists. He is still being detained.
Grace Zokovic and Gayla Corey contributed.
