20 protesters arrested during Boston State of the City address, organizers say

BOSTON — Police arrested several protestors at the beginning of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s second State of the City address Tuesday night.

The protesters parked themselves front and center at the MGM Music Hall and began chanting about the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip. A spokesperson for the Muslim Justice League say they were trying to draw attention to local complicity in the ongoing genocide of Palestinians.

The protestors dropped banners saying “Boston Complicit with Genocide” and “Ceasefire” and leaflets saying “Mayor Wu supports sending Boston Police regularly to Israel to learn ‘worst practices’ from the Israel Defense Forces.”

The Muslim Justice League says 20 community leaders “from a coalition led by Muslim and Palestinian voices” were arrested for disorderly conduct.

Video from a Boston 25 photographer shows five of the protesters being led into a police transport van.

Boston Police confirm several protesters were arrested and there were no reports of any injuries.

“It is disturbing that disruptors who were calling attention to how Boston Police officers have been trained by a regime charged with genocide at the International Court of Justice, were then arrested by said police,” said Fatema Ahmad, executive director of Muslim Justice League. “It is crucial for local institutions to consider how they have been complicit in the violence against Palestinians and how the ‘Deadly Exchange’ impacts policing of local communities too.”

No further information was immediately available.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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