I’m betting money if these protesters were protesting on behalf of some white supremacy group, this mayor wouldn’t be so forgiving. But because it’s the Black Lives Matter group, he wants all charges dropped:
BOSTON.COM – Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone wants Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan to drop the charges against the “Somerville 18” who participated in January’s protest that shut down I-93 in Somerville and Milton.
“There is no respect for the right to protest when the punishment proposed is completely disproportionate to the action taken,” Curtatone wrote in a Facebook post Wednesday.
The protesters, two of whom were from Somerville, the rest from Boston, faced a variety of charges in January, including disorderly conduct, trespassing, conspiracy, and resisting arrest. The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to a request Wednesday night seeking information on the current status of the charges.
In January, Ryan released a statement saying that while her office respected the right of individuals to protest, the actions of the 18 “jeopardized public safety.”
They blocked traffic for HOURS during the morning commute on a big interstate! You’re not allowed to do that. The freedom to protest does not give you the right infringe on other people’s rights. They should throw the book at these fools.