Local News

More than 100 protesters arrested as police clear Emerson College encampment

A crowd of people gathered Thursday morning outside Boston Municipal Court, where 108 protesters are scheduled to be arraigned.

By Abby Patkin and Faith Pinnow

updated on April 25, 2024

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More than 100 people were arrested early Thursday after Boston police forcibly cleared a pro-Palestinian tent encampment Emerson College students built in a walkway next to the school’s downtown campus. 

Videos posted to social media showed the chaotic scene that unfolded overnight at Boylston Place Alley, where officers — some seemingly dressed in riot gear — could be seen pushing through the crowds. In some clips, protesters appeared to link arms to form a barrier against the surge of law enforcement. 

Boston police arrested a total of 108 people, department spokesperson Sgt. Det. John Boyle confirmed in a written statement. Protesters will be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court, he said. 

Emerson students set up tents in the alley Sunday evening after more than 100 Columbia University students were arrested in New York City for participating in a similar demonstration last week. 

In a letter to the Emerson community Wednesday, school officials warned that law enforcement action could be “imminent” and explained that Boylston Place Alley is not solely owned by the college. The Boston police and fire departments had reached out to warn Emerson that some of the protesters’ actions were in direct violation of city ordinances, they said.

“Our utmost priority is the safety and welfare of our community, and we are deeply concerned that the protesters are risking legal consequences beyond Emerson’s control when they do not abide by city and state laws,” college leaders said. 

Soon after midnight on Thursday, tensions reached a boiling point. 

Police issued a dispersal warning to protest organizers around 1:38 a.m., according to student newspaper The Berkeley Beacon. By 1:45 a.m., the arrests had begun. 

According to Boyle, four police officers sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the scuffle, three with minor injuries and one with “more serious” injuries. 

“No protestors [sic] in custody have reported injuries at this time,” he said. 

However, police scanner recordings posted on Broadcastify indicate at least two protesters went to hospitals, according to The Boston Globe. 

“Can you confirm which hospitals two of the protesters went to?” a commanding officer said on the recording, according to the Globe. 

Shortly before 9 a.m. Thursday, 10 student organizers were gathered outside the Boston Police Department’s District A-1 headquarters on Sudbury Street, where police had reportedly brought more than two dozen students.

Meanwhile, about 40 students hovered outside the Boston Municipal Court’s Edward W. Brooke Courthouse ahead of the protesters’ arraignments. Antonio Massa Viana, a lawyer representing several protesters, addressed student supporters outside the courthouse. 

“We all know that this is not about hatred towards another people. We all know that this is about protesting an unjust war that has killed thousands, including women and children, OK?” he said. “And we all know that in America we’re taught from very, very young that we need to speak out for something that’s wrong. So I’m gonna first applaud you for doing this.”

Viana said protesters are being brought to the courthouse in batches from various police precincts. The charges they’re facing include trespassing and disturbing the peace, he said.

“I think we’re seeing across the country a readiness to deploy the police on students that I don’t think I’ve seen in other protest instances,” said Naomi Shatz, another attorney representing protesters from the Emerson encampment. “Obviously we’ve seen more protests and bigger protests than we’ve seen in a while, I know this is a significant movement. I think that makes it unique.”

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Mayor Michelle Wu said city officials were in close communication with Emerson College earlier in the week to emphasize that Boston takes no issue with peaceful protests, only the fire hazards and public health and safety concerns associated with the tents.

“There’s still a lot more to review here, and I know that world events, global events are incredibly painful and emotional for our community,” Wu said. “We cannot let that destabilize the safety and wellbeing of our residents here in Boston.”