Some Arrested in Boston Ferguson Protest Claim Police Roughed Them Up

Police spoke at 10 a.m. Wednesday about the arrests and police response to the Boston protests, in which groups of people blocked major highways while protesting.

Boston Police confirm that 45 people were arrested during protests throughout the city over a Grand Jury's decision not to indict a police officer in the shooting death of an unarmed black teen.

According to Massachusetts State Police, however, MSP troopers made a total of 51 arrests, all but one which were turned over to Boston Police.

Some of those arrested claim they were roughed up by Boston Police.

"An officer, like, grabbed my hair and pulled me back," said Tripp Diaz, who was on the front line of protesters Tuesday night.

Diaz was in Copley Square, walking into the Massachusetts Turnpike tunnel, when she says officers were pushing so hard, from in front and behind, that all she wanted to do was get out.

She said she wsa pinned down by an officer.

Police spoke at 10 a.m. Wednesday about the arrests and police response to the Boston protests, in which groups of people blocked major highways while protesting.

Ferguson, Missouri, Police Officer Darren Wilson fatally shot 18-year-old Michael Brown in August. The initla shooting sparked protesting.

A Grand Jury's decision not to indict him on federal charged sparked even more protests around the country.

Though there were protests in Boston, there was no structural damage or incidents of looting.

Boston Police Commissioner William Evans apologized to the motorists who were inconvenienced by the closed roadways.

He said that no protester nor officer was seriously hurt and "all in all, I think everybody handed themselves pretty well last night.

According to the Associated Press, six people were arrested in similar protests in Rhode Island. Five were charged with disorderly conduct and released on personal recognizance following a court hearing Wednesday. A sixth was charged with assault, vandalism and resisting arrest after he spray painted an unmarked police car and tried to escape after being apprehended.

State Police Col. Steven O'Donnell told WPRO-AM that the Rhode Island protests began peacefully, but a group of between 100 to 150 broke off, climbed a 5-foot fence and went onto I-95 South and North.

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