Occupy Boston's Police Crackdown on Video
Late last night, conveniently after the evening news, police descended in force and surrounded Boston's Dewey Square where Occupy Boston protesters had set up a second camp due to the overflow at their original occupation site a few blocks to the South.
Police began warning media that they needed to leave while large numbers of police vans lined the North side of the square and several ambulances arrived while EMT's set up triage tents. The Boston police donned riot gear and were joined by a large contingent of State troopers.
Veterans for Peace pledge to defend the occupiers and set themselves up in a defensive perimeter. Many of the occupiers locked arms in preparation for an assault.
Then garbage trucks arrived on the Eastern street as police entered the park making a small number of arrests but primarily tearing down the tents, signs, and other elements of the encampment which were reduced to a large pile. The physical possessions were then dragged to the street and disposed of in the garbage trucks.
Shortly before 1:30 a.m. Police gave their final warnings to leave and stated that physical force would be used to clear the park of those "unlawfully assembling." When the last warning was issued the officer stated to a questioning onlooker that they were "through being nice."
Police descended on the occupation first encountering the Vets for Peace with force and began making arrests of all present in the park. The total number of arrests has been reported as somewhere near 100 occupiers.
Riot Police Surround Dewey Square (Second Camp)
Riot Police Physically Push Line of Protesters Back
Five Minute Warning
"If you remain reasonable and necessary force may be used to disberse the unlawful assembly"
Last Warning Given - First Attack on Vets for Peace Defensive Perimeter
Listen to officer who gives the "final order". "We gave up being nice" he says as they descend on the center of the occupation.
As Police descend on the encampment the occupiers sit down and lock arms.
Police Enter the Park with Large White Wooden Batons to Confront the Occupation
The aggressive crackdown in Boston seemed to coincide with similar threats in other cities where confrontations seemed imminent for a while - such as Atlanta, St. Louis, and Seattle. No actions, in the end, were taken in these cities despite the threats.
In light of last night's crackdown in Bostong there is a strong likelihood that the Boston protests will only grow today rather than shrink. As with other instances of the engagement of the police it is likely that across the Nation this use of force against peacefully assembled citizens will only serve as a rallying cry for the movement to spread and grow in both strength and numbers.
Please share any stories, photos, or videos you might have of the events in Boston so that the rest of the world can know what took place.