Hate Group Patriot Front Accused Of Assault During March In Boston

BOSTON — A white supremacist group accused of assaulting a Black artist near Copley Square this weekend was the subject of condemnation and the threat of prosecution from Boston leaders on Tuesday.

A large group of people appearing to be associated with Patriot Front - an American Defamation League and Southern Poverty Law Center designated hate group, was seen marching throughout Boston on Saturday as festivities kicked off for the fourth of July holiday.

The associated members of Patriot Front were seen around Copley Square, City Hall Plaza, and the Freedom Trail carrying shields, covering their faces, and wearing shirts that said "Reclaim America" while marching to the beat of a drum. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu says city officials plan to press charges against the group.

Charles Murrell, a Black artist, told police he was assaulted and hurt by members of the group while he was near Copley Square after he asked them to stop. A photographer from the Boston Herald caught the confrontation on camera, first reporting on the events as they unfolded, adding that Murrell suffered several cuts to his head, eyebrow, and finger, and was taken to Boston Medical Center to be treated.

"We did not have intelligence ahead of time and did not unfortunately know they were planning to come here and disrupt our festivities," Wu said Tuesday. "There was not a specific bit of information that they were intending to incite violence."

"We will continue to work in partnership with community members as we strategize and plan and coordinate to respond to not one-off incidents, but this growing rise and trend in white supremacy and hate," Wu said Tuesday at Boston Police Headquarters.

"We are working hard to make sure that if there are any federal charges we can bring or if there are any state charges that can be brought, we will be looking at this," U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins said."We take these threats and this behavior seriously. We understand the climate is really scary at this moment to a lot of impacted communities."

A civil rights investigation into the attack remains ongoing, Wu said.