Extinction Rebellion Activists Block Boston Bridge During Commute
Boston Mayor Michelle marched with the group in 2019.
Legal Insurrection has long followed the disruptive antics of Extinction Rebellion, a UK-based group of environmental extremists.
The last time we checked on the group, the climate cultists vowed to send ‘millions of people onto the streets’ in defiance of a British crackdown on disruptive ‘guerrilla protests. ‘
Noe 15 members were arrested Wednesday as they attempted to block morning rush hour traffic in Boston.
The environmental group Extinction Rebellion said it had planned to block four major traffic routes to protest fossil fuels.
“Locations were selected to clog the Central Artery of Boston to prevent employees from getting into the financial district and Seaport,” the group said in a statement Wednesday.
They claimed more than 40 activists would be involved, “locking themselves to large pink metal barrels adorned with banners on top that read the messages of their demands to halt new fossil fuel infrastructure.”
Massachusetts State Police told WBZ they had a “detailed operations plan in place” and were “prepared to take enforcement action if necessary.” According to WBZ-TV’s Breana Pitts, drivers said troopers were set up at almost every exit on Route 128 from Rockport to Reading and on Interstate 93 into Somerville.
The Boston Herald published the names and ages of those arrested. I see very few college-age activists in this group.
Boston police spokesperson this morning said cops made 10 arrests related to the traffic disruptions. Further information about the arrests would be available later. Those arrested are:
Perry Thomas KRASOW, 62, Waltham Disorderly Conduct
Nicholas Gardner BRYANT, 32, Boston Disorderly Conduct
Allen Patrick MCGONAGILL, 32, Somerville Disorderly Conduct
Andrew Reginald ILIFF, 41, Jamaica Plain Disorderly Conduct
Paul SHANNON, 75, Somerville Disorderly Conduct
Maria Luisa OGDEN, 60, Putney, VT VAL Failure to Submit
Benjamin Standish HAYWARD, 24, Castleton VT Disorderly Conduct
Samantha HAYWARD, 23, Castleton VT Disorderly Conduct
John Reynolds BURKHARDT, 56, Arlington Disorderly Conduct
William Christopher REGAN, 43, Redondo Beach, CA Disorderly ConductState police, meanwhile, said they had taken five into custody at Leverett Circle.
Arrested and charged by state police were Joseph Rogers, 55, Lyndeborough, N.H., Grant F. Rockett, 64, of Jamaica Plain, Mark A. Dugan, 54, of Newton, Jennifer M. Smith, 48, of Watertown and Mary E. Hansen, 67, of Jamaica Plain.
The protesters each face charges of trespassing on state property, disorderly conduct, and conspiracy to commit a crime.
The amount of pre-planning that went into the event suggests serious funding That is disturbing.
Troopers also seized two vehicles that the trespassers had parked in two separate travel lanes to block traffic at the busy intersection, police said. One of those vehicles was carrying three 55-gallon steel drum barrels with holes cut into them and pipes running through the holes, a device known as a “sleeping dragon.”
A “sleeping dragon” is an improvised device made by protestors to secure themselves together, with their arms fed through a pipe or tube that runs through barrels through holes cut into them. Generally, a protesters hands are then locked to the hands of those next to them inside the barrels, to form a roadblock consisting of a connected series of protestors and barrels.
Police said the seizure of the “sleeping dragons” prevented the protestors from chaining themselves together in the devices to block traffic at the busy intersection, which is used by motorists connecting to and from the Tobin Bridge, Interstate 93, Storrow Drive, Nashua Street and Charles River Dam Road.
State Police made five arrests related to this morning’s climate protest through downtown Boston. Investigators say these barrels, also known as a “sleeping dragon,” were to be used to secure protesters together. Activists didn’t get the chance to use them. @wbznewsradio pic.twitter.com/3auzW12Ppv
— James Rojas (@JamesRojasNews) September 21, 2022
If you think the city’s government is inclined to reign in the climate insanity, think again. Boston Mayor Michelle marched with the group in 2019.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu tweeted in 2019 when she was a city council member that she marched with Extinction Rebellion Boston, the group that stopped traffic on the morning commute Wednesday to protest climate change.
When asked about their most recent protest, Wu wouldn’t say whether she supported their tactics. She did say she heard the urgency of the protesters, but also places a high priority on public safety.
Taking the Congress St bridge #FloodTheSeaport @XRboston pic.twitter.com/8jd0kWZfAP
— Michelle Wu 吳弭 (@wutrain) September 27, 2019
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Comments
The legislature should alter the statues to allow for billing these individuals and/or group for the costs. Just like some hiker ignores warnings, insists on entering a remote area during an emergency and needs rescue get billed.
Then allow for a simple small claims CT cause of action for lost productivity and/or disruption. Annual income/2000 hours = amount of damage per hour. Finding of guilty for blocking plus GPS data of plaintiffs = damages.
Allow class actions for loss of wages and lost productivity. Add attorney fees for willfulness. That will bring the stakes high enough to get their attention, and give the inconvenienced people a nice payday.
And any and all damages coming from interfering with emergency work by first responders.
Or… The Joy of All-Wheel Drive.
I really need to put the bull bars back on the front of my ride.
Boston has NO shortage of snowplows.
Or firehoses.
Or Marxists.
Well, maybe dedicated Marxists.
Out of 15 arrests, fully 1/3 weren’t even staties.
So, stupid AND lazy.
Bears have four feet—same thing.
Or, you can just throw them off the bridge.
Or both.
Yes. Let us see how those pink cans float with the losers attached.
Maybe just leave them there over the weekend, comeback on Monday and see what course nature has taken. Alternatively allow traffic to proceed and if these jacklegs chose to play in the street then that’s on them. Either way would result in these groups altering their future tactics to retain mobility.
On the other hand, since functional non insane people don’t play in traffic these jacklegs are obviously mentally disturbed. They require mandatory inpatient treatment; if they didn’t they wouldn’t be in the middle of a street.
Soylent Green truck:
We’re right on schedule… and Boston or New York — who cares?
“The legislature should alter the statues to allow for billing these individuals and/or group for the costs”
Yeah, that’s a strategy that went out with debtors’ prisons.
“Blood from a rock,” I believe is the phrase.
They have kidneys they could sell. They live somewhere. Mom and Dad have a house that would be at risk of forfeiture for drug activity so why not this? Autos, CPU, antifa armor, comic book collection. They have all sorts of ways to raise funds.
Size their assets, including personal property, liquidate them. Go after the organization. Whatever is left garnish their wages and any govt benefits to pay for it. Take their plasma and blood. Send them to Nevada to work as prostitutes.
Plenty of options for them to pay up. They should choose wisely to avoid more extreme outcomes being imposed.
A “sleeping dragon” is an improvised device…
The best way to remove those is end-over-end. Without removing the protesters first. It does take a couple of strong folks to do that, but I’m sure you can find a couple in the gridlock the protesters create. (Finding people who don’t cringe at the screaming from the protesters might be a little harder.)
there are not as many people who would cringe these days, not even in Mass
To clarify, I meant the screaming as their arms are wrenched about as you flip the barrel end-over-end. You’re kinda close and it can get loud. Hearing pro helps.
The regular screeching, yeah not as many will be bothered.
These people are shit tacticians.
They all tied themselves together? Great. Loop a chain around one of the pipes, tie the other end to a paddywagon bumper hitch. Start dragging.
Suddenly the chain will get to its feet, start jogging, find a way to detach themselves from each other, all sorts of new and inventive inspiration.
And if they don’t, you can drag ’em all to the clink without worrying how many you can take per wagon.
Run them over. Sue their estates for auto body damage!
Drop them naked in The Combat Zone with “Be Mean To Me” Sharpied on their backs
Leave them outside a country bar in rural Alabama around midnight on a Saturday, then go inside and tell “the boys” who’s waiting for them in the dirt parking lot. Problem solved.
“We’re protesting fossil fuels!”
“Oh, is that why you caused a ten mile long traffic jam that burned thousands of gallons of gas?”
Good work by the MA police, catching these criminals before they could carry out their plan to disrupt our lives. I suggest they be charged with trespassing and held without bail in solitary confinement before trial for the next year and a half. What, that’s the standard now, right?
Interesting how when it benefits the left-wing agenda this is OK. When it doesn’t it violates the ICC. (Wickard v Filburn)
How did they get to the bridge? Swim thousands of miles?
Last time i looked, VT was not in the vicinity of Boston and i bet those numbnuts didnt walk there or ride a horse
These Dumb-o-crat zealots are the most shiftless, lazy, ne’er-do-well parasites imaginable. I guarantee that they effort they put into constructing their stupid “sleeping dragon” barrels is more than they ever put into working at a substantive job in the private sector. Engaging in useless, corrosive and destructive agitprop stunts are their way of life.
You don’t get your name in the paper by waiting tables.
Well, unless you are Maury Travis.
I’m guessing college professors.
I am not sure about the laws is Massachusetts, but in many states this conduct would constitute the crime of “false imprisonment”, the victims being the hundreds or thousands of people trapped in the traffic jam who are unable move.
Alternatively, my truck has a button to engage “4wd low”.
Now, I know what it’s for…
Only Democrats in fear of bands of teen aged MAGA Republicans are allowed to run over people.
And through parades of people who MIGHT grow up to be teen-aged MAGA Republicans.
My Semi needs no 4wd for this. I dont even have to lock in the axles.
Nothing will happen – unless they block a Dunkin’ and then all the terrors of hell will be unleashed upon them.
🙂
“Mayor Wu wouldn’t say whether she supported their tactics. She did say she heard the urgency of the protesters, but also places a high priority on public safety.”
What the hell kind of message is that?
“No problem,” says the mayor, “I understand the urgency of the protesters.”
Why the hell would the mayor of Boston give lip service to “the urgency of protesters” who belong to “a UK-based group of environmental extremists” of which Greta Thunberg is the lead activist?
She sounds more like the mayor of London, which is where the group’s headquarters is located. Their insane ideology is based on the contention that we must dismantle capitalism in order to save the planet.
Yeah! Sounds urgent to me.
“What the hell kind of message is that?”
“I’m a commie too, but I have to pretend to care about keeping the city working.”
This should happen in every major Blue city EVERY DAY. The survival of the planet depends on it.
I absolutely support these [idiots] stopping traffic into and out of Blue cities.
They wouldn’t do that in New Orleans, because several things might happen:
A) They get run over.
B) They get their ass beat and forcibly removed by the motorist.
C) They get shot.
D) A bit of all of the above.
Barrels float so a Tea Party comes to mind. Oh darn, they have holes and that sucks for the people who made them
Then sit back for a remake of the Titanic door scene.
After which we’ll all know how long it takes for a sleeping dragon to become a moebius strip.
They’re using force to inflict a cost on people who don’t do what they want. That’s called extortion.
There is only a difference in degree between “Do what I say, or I’ll break your legs.”, and “Do what I say, or I’ll stop you working, shopping, getting to the hospital.”
In short, the difference between the FBI and the CDC.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer State …!
My first thought is lasso them, then drag them out of the way, then arrest them.
My 2nd thought, this is precisely what the people being held up voted for. So, shut down the city, burn it to the ground. I’m all out of give a damns.
Downshift and accelerate. Sounding the horn optional, but it will alert them to what’s coming.
.