KINGSTON, MASS. (WHDH) - Protesters gathered outside the Baymont Hotel in Kingsto on Oct. 30, where the state dropped off dozens of people without notice, before officers asked them to leave.
Police said the group held signs and expressed anti-refugee beliefs through a loudspeaker at the protest over the weekend. They were wearing matching clothing and masks.
Elizabeth Sweet, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy, condemned the protests.
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the white supremacist protests against refugee arrivals in Kingston this weekend,” she said in a statement. “The rise in white supremacist sentiment across Massachusetts, against migrant communities and far too many communities of color, stands in sharp contrast to the way Massachusetts communities have welcomed migrants. We praise all of the individuals, advocacy organizations, and public officials that have assisted the recent migrant arrivals in Kingston, and know that the vast majority of people in Massachusetts share their goodwill.”
As 7NEWS previously reported, 107 people were reportedly at the hotel, none of whom appeared to speak English, according to Town Administrator Keith Hickey.
Among the group were about 20 children who will be registering to attend school in town.
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