A protest in Boston Sunday opposing vaccine and mask mandates turned violent when Antifa groups showed up. The anti-mandate demonstration was organized by A group called “Super Happy Fun America.” People were gathered at the Boston Commons in protest of vaccine and mask mandates when Antifa groups showed up and confronted the protesters.
The Antifa group used Twitter to organize. A group known as “Solidarity Against Hate – Boston” tweeted on Oct. 19 asking people to come out and “tell the Capitol rioters to get out of Boston.”
The fighting broke out around 11:30 before the protest was scheduled to begin at noon. Antifa protesters breached police barricades and confronted anti-mandate protesters.
“We came here to peacefully protest when we were violently attacked by a mob that pepper-sprayed us, attacked us and refused to allow our van to leave,” said Super Happy Fun America organizer Brandon Navom.
“We don’t want that in our city: Anti-vaxxers, people who don’t believe that COVID is real, people that put other people in danger, racist transphobes and people that hate other people for the way they are — that’s not OK,” counter-protester Rifka Handelman, an Emerson College student, said.
Local media outlets covered the violent confrontation and tweeted about it.
Fight just broke out between groups, police broke it up @NBC10Boston @NECN pic.twitter.com/zC4MBnbVLb
— Monica Madeja NBC10 Boston (@MonicaNBCBoston) November 7, 2021
NOW: Clashing rallies on Boston Common; one group here to protest mask/vaccine mandates with speeches, the other protesting the protesters with a brass band. @NBC10Boston @NECN pic.twitter.com/cuSavwE6WI
— Monica Madeja NBC10 Boston (@MonicaNBCBoston) November 7, 2021
McNulty, a Boston Police Officer, said that two people were arrested when “opposing sides clashed at today’s scheduled event and planned a counter-protest on the Boston Common. BPD assets included officers in protective equipment.”
William Turbitt, 39, of Providence, Rhode Island, was arrested on charges of disturbing the peace and interfering with police. Turbitt crashed a van through a barrier. Ronald McCarron, 68, of Wakefield, was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace.
Both men are to be arraigned Monday at Boston Municipal Court.