BOSTON (WHDH) - Officers used tear gas on protesters on Tremont Street in Boston on Sunday and some of those gathered allegedly hurled bricks and bottles at them in the area of Downtown Crossing on the heels of a peaceful protest earlier in the day that coincided with hundreds of others nationwide.
Video shows protestors breaking the windshield of an occupied police SUV on Tremont Street, people jumping on another cruiser, and a cruiser in the area of Tremont and Park streets was set on fire.
The confrontations took place after a largely peaceful protest at the State House.
Police told “peaceful protesters” to leave Tremont Street shortly after 9:30 p.m., and later tweeted that protesters “have surrendered the moral high ground.”
Officers wearing riot gear lined Downtown Crossing and pushed crowds back with motorcycles on Tremont Street while some protesters launched fireworks.
Bank windows and residential doors were smashed on Beacon Street and in Downtown Crossing.
Protesters and police faced off on Temple and Tremont streets. Several hundred protesters remained in the area compared to the thousands that had been at the Common earlier.
Some protesters broke the glass of a Walgreens in Downtown Crossing and began looting the store. A fire was lit inside the store before being extinguished.
Boston police tweeted that officers “are fighting to protect our city from those who came to Boston looking to disrupt a peaceful protest and hurt and harm police officers” but did not provide any immediate information about where protesters came from.
Mayor Marty Walsh also tweeted that outsiders were responsible for violence, without giving any other information.
“I am angered, however, by the people who came into our city and chose to engage in acts of destruction and violence, undermining their message,” Walsh tweeted.
Officers in riot gear firing tear gas pushed crowds back on Tremont Street into the Common before 11 p.m. as SWAT teams arrived. Protesters lit several garbage cans on fire.
This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.
I am angered, however, by the people who came into our city and chose to engage in acts of destruction and violence, undermining their message. If we are to achieve change and if we are to lead the change, our efforts must be rooted in peace and regard for our community.
— Mayor Marty Walsh (@marty_walsh) June 1, 2020
The time for protesting is over. The peaceful protest ended hours ago. Individuals now congregating in the area of Boston Common and Downtown Crossing need to vacate the area and go home.
— Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) June 1, 2020
Every law abiding citizen in Boston should be praying for the safety and well-being of our officers. To be clear, our officers are fighting to protect our city from those who came to Boston looking to disrupt a peaceful protest and hurt and harm police officers.
— Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) June 1, 2020
Those now protesting in the streets of Boston have surrendered the moral high ground as efforts to hurt and harm police officers continue to intensify in our city. Men and women of BPD doing their best to restore order and keep the peace.
— Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) June 1, 2020
Peaceful protestors along Tremont Street are asked to vacate the area. If you are a peaceful protestor, the time to vacate and go home is now.
— Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) June 1, 2020
Reports of protestors now throwing rocks and bricks at officers along Tremont Street. Again, protestors asked to refrain from hurting and harming police officers.
— Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) June 1, 2020
Protestors in the area of Winter and Washington Streets are asked to refrain from throwing dangerous projectiles including glass bottles and frozen water bottles at our officers.
— Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) June 1, 2020
(Copyright (c) 2025 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)