Like several thousand other Bostonians, I headed down to Boston Common this evening. Here’s some of what I saw.
In front of Boylston St. station as the rally began
Tremont Street was shut down as protesters walked from Boylston St. station back toward the State House.
Some motorists showed their support with their car horns, even as they were stuck in the protest.
The view from the top of the Common, looking back toward Tremont St.
The scene in front of the State House.
Protesters then walked down Beacon Street toward City Hall.
There was a brief die-in on City Hall plaza.
The protesters continued marching into Charlestown and Cambridge, and eventually some of them ended up on Storrow Drive and the Turnpike, briefly shutting those roads down. Twitter reports that a die-in is underway now inside Park Street station. This was a big event, though from what I saw, entirely non-violent.
Friends from back home posted a lot of pictures to Facebook, a lot of CRLS alumni and current students were there, and I den saw a friends mom make the Globes website as it’s main picture. The Chicago protests managed to shit down several streets, do a die on, and we also honked our support on the drive home, as did many Bears fans leaving Soldier Field (they got creamed by Dallas so it couldn’t have been due to the game).
I noticed that Boston had a more diverse group of protestors-not sure if that is due to our smaller black population or the higher student population near the center of town-but the diversity of the crowds across the country also impresses me. Make no mistake-I strongly believe the message has to stay #blacklivesmatter-that this injustice is directed against the black community.
But it’s injustice perpetuated by white people and in the name of protecting white people, white property and white privilege. And whites have a responsibility to shout not in our name.
Our protestors in Chicago shut down several streets, I can assure you that’s what I meant to say.
which was really nice to see and to be a part of.