Clashes Follow Peaceful Protests In Boston: VIDEO

BOSTON — About a thousand people gathered in Boston's South End Friday night to protest the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died Memorial Day in the custody of the Minneapolis police.

At least one man was arrested late Friday evening a few hours after the organized protest had ended. The Boston protest was peaceful in comparison to protests held in other U.S. cities, including Minneapolis, where officials were deploying more National Guard troops after a fourth night of violent clashes between police and protesters.

"Let’s yell out a collective celebration for the fact that the first police officer was arrested and charged today, a few hours ago, as a direct result of our protests around the country," Brock Satter, one of the protest organizers, said to cheers from the crowd.

Videos posted to Snapchat by some Boston protesters show crowds gathering outside the police station:

Despite calls for nonviolence by the Massachusetts Action Against Police Brutality, the protest's organizer, there were some incidents:

• WCVB reported a man was arrested for vandalizing the side of a police station. A video shows the man holding a police barricade during a clash with police officers.
• Police used pepper spray on some protesters near the District 4 police station on Harrison Avenue, according to WBZ.

Protests throughout the U.S. came on the same day Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer seen in a bystander's video with his knee on Floyd's neck, was arrested and charged with third-degree murder.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross have all expressed outrage at the Minneapolis incident and that all four officers involved in Floyd's death should be held accountable.

"I don’t know how anyone could watch that video and not be just outraged by it. I know I was," Baker said earlier on Friday. "And I say that as somebody who knows a lot of folks in law enforcement, and I believe in the important and critical role that law enforcement plays in keeping people safe."

Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).