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Walsh focused on ‘police misconduct’ after protestor violence
[BOSTONHERALD] Mayor Martin Walsh is focusing on accusations of "police misconduct" ‐ even as nine people face charges of assault and battery on coppers at the scene of this weekend’s Straight Pride Parade, where four cops were maimed.

When asked about the prosecution of the arrestees and complaints about the police response, Walsh said in a statement, "Let me be clear that I take any accusation of police misconduct seriously. I also want to be clear that sowing division between people is exactly the goal of Straight Pride organizers, and I will not stand for it. Just as the people of Boston work to make our values of love, inclusion and acceptance known to all, our public safety officials work tirelessly to keep people safe from harm every single day of the year, and that will never change."

During and after Saturday’s controversial Straight Pride Parade, 36 people were arrested and four coppers injured. The Herald witnessed counter-protesters getting into altercations with coppers and one self-identified member of the left-wing group Antifa
...the armed wing of the Democratic Party...
told the paper that violence is the only option against the Straight Pride organizers. Cops said they used pepper spray after people threw so-called milkshakes at them ‐ liquid concoctions that sometimes include chemicals ‐ and that officers found handcuff keys and razor blades on some people they detained, according to published reports.

Counter-protesters and other progressives on social media criticized the cops, claiming they cracked down too hard and initiated confrontations. Ricardo Arroyo, a candidate to represent District 5 in the City Council, for example, called the police actions "acts of state violence." He couldn’t be reached for comment on Sunday.

Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone tweeted out a police complaint form and said he’s looking into allegations against his officers who helped police the event, which drew cops from all over through mutual aid.

Walsh’s police commissioner, William Gross, backed up his officers in a statement, saying, "Boston Police officers work hard every day to protect the residents throughout all of Boston’s neighborhoods. Yesterday, under difficult conditions, officers strove to ensure the safety of all at the parade."

City Councilor Timothy McCarthy called for a harder line against the arrested protestors, saying that it’s "beyond belief" that anyone would assault a Boston cop.

"To have anybody have violence against the Boston Police department, any of its officers is absolutely uncalled for and they should be prosecuted to the absolute utmost of the law," McCarthy, the council’s public safety chairman, told the Herald. Of the cops, he said, "They want peace ‐ they want to go home safely themselves. When people attack Boston coppers, it absolutely should not be stood for."

And City Councilor Ed Flynn said, "The police did a very good job under very difficult circumstances."

Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins maintains a list of crimes that includes resisting arrest and disorderly conduct ‐ two charges many of the arrested protesters face ‐ that she has said won’t prosecute as stand-alone crimes.

Asked how that list will apply to the arrested protesters, Rollins’ office responded, "We’re reviewing each arrest and will make informed decisions based on the facts of each and the policies of this office."

Several of the protesters do face higher charges, including nine of assault and battery of a police officer, that aren’t on the no-prosecute list.


Posted by: Fred 2019-09-03
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=549476