The governor of Massachusetts and police chief of Boston promised harsh penalties after rioters attacked officers in the city earlier this week, according to a statement released by city officials on Oct. 8.
Officials said that 13 pro-Palestinian supporters were arrested during clashes with police that caused four officers to be sent to area hospitals for non-life-threatening injuries.
Everyone arrested at the Oct. 7 protest was from the area and ranged in age from 19 and 28, police said. They are due to be arraigned Wednesday and Thursday, most on charges of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and disturbing the peace.
Local news footage showed protesters and police officers shoving one another and even wrestling on the ground. Video showed protesters shouting, “Get off of him,” as officers were restraining someone.
In a statement, the Boston Police Department said that as “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 police department added, describing the incident as a “violent protest.”
Officers reported that their equipment was “forcibly removed” or damaged by rioters, which included radios, bicycles, and body cameras, according to the police force.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey on Oct. 8 was critical of protesters for engaging in violent behavior.
“Protest peacefully—that’s your right,” the Democratic governor said in a post on social media. “But blocking traffic and attacking police are not, and anyone who does should be held fully accountable.”
Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu issued a similar statement to news outlets this week, saying that anyone who targets police will be prosecuted, and she thanked the Boston Police Department.
“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,” her statement read.
Police arrested eight men and five women after the demonstration, officials said.
The protest was one of many around the world that coincided with the second anniversary of the Hamas-led terrorist attack on southern Israel that sparked the war in Gaza. Hamas terrorists killed about 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped 251 people. Israel responded with a massive military campaign in Gaza.
On Oct. 8, President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas have agreed to a pause in their two-year war and to the release of the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
“This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace,” the president wrote on social media in announcing the agreement. “All Parties will be treated fairly!”
The Epoch Times contacted Wu’s office for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
