In one of the boldest Greater Boston actions yet, anti-police violence protesters shut down traffic on Interstate 93 this morning, chaining themselves to steel barrels on the northbound and southbound lanes of the highway.
One group of protesters deployed on the southbound lanes of I-93 in Medford, briefly stopping traffic before they were moved aside. A second group deployed on the northbound lanes in Milton, stopping traffic there for a longer duration. In both groups, the protesters chained their hands together inside of steel barrels partially filled with concrete.
Police had to saw through the barrels, estimated to weigh 1,200 pounds each, to remove the protesters. Seventeen of the protesters were arrested in Medford. Six were arrested in Milton.
“We are participating in this action in response to a national call for non-Black people to turn up for two central reasons,” the protesters said in a press statement. “As non-Black people acting in solidarity, it is necessary to disrupt a capitalist structure that has been built on the physical and economic exploitation of Black bodies since our country’s inception. We also recognize our unique position in the struggle for economic, political, gender and racial liberation: though many of us do identify as people of color, we are able to participate in such an action with significantly lower risk of physical harm and brutalization by the State specifically because we are NOT identified as Black.”
Drivers in Milton reportedly got into a shoving match with some of the protesters, according to a motorist who was stopped in traffic.
“People were sitting on the ground attached to the barrels,” said driver Natalicia Tracy. “They were shouting loudly “black lives matter!’ Many people were out of their cars, looking at the obstruction, and a number of them — maybe five to ten — came forward and tried to use force, pretty violently pushing and shoving the protesters.
“It was very upsetting to see, given the importance of the cause they were protesting for, and the anger from many of the drivers who only cared about getting to work unobstructed.”
In all, 29 protesters were arrested by state police during the demonstration.
