Nine are arrested at Central Square company during Middle East protest that grew violent
Vandalism at Elbit systems in Cambridge’s Central Square on Oct. 12. (Photo: Calla Walsh via X)
Nine people were arrested Monday as protests and vandalism at the Cambridge offices of Elbit, an Israeli company, escalated into a clash with police, according to a press release from the Cambridge Police Department.
Elbit Systems makes weapons, but the Cambridge branch at 130 Bishop Allen Drive is separate and focused on medicine, city councillors said in August. Though people protested at the site then over killings and human-rights violations in the Philippines, actions against the company were revived in mid-October during increased violence between Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East.
Police said they were monitoring at around 10 a.m. an initially peaceful protest of about 200 people at the Central Square offices, calling it “the site of numerous protests and acts of vandalism and property destruction in recent weeks.”
“Officers even shut down a busy roadway nearby to ensure the safety of the protesters and the public in the area,” department spokesperson Robert Goulston said. “Cambridge police officers remain committed to providing ample space and opportunities for protesters to engage in freedom of speech.”
Around 11:15 a.m., though, some of the crowd broke through metal barricades and began vandalizing the business, Goulston said, some throwing “smoke pellets,” eggs and other projectiles at the officers and building.
Officers tried to arrest “numerous people” for defacing the building and the group “became hostile and assaulted the officers,” Goulston said. One officer was knocked to the ground and another was hit in the chest with a “smoke pellet,” leading one officer to deploy pepper spray as some of the crowd became more combative, he said.
Videos from the fray by Palestine Action US and activist Calla Walsh posted on the social media site formerly known as Twitter show a chaotic scene.
The arrests were made “protesting Israel’s biggest weapons company,” said Walsh, 19, on the site. “The Cambridge Police claim we ‘assaulted’ them but they violently surged on the crowd, tackled, wrestled and pepper sprayed us. These pigs only protect private property and Zionism.”
The arrested face charges including disorderly conduct “because their actions created an extremely hazardous situation for everybody present, including themselves, passersby and the officers,” police said. Those charged and scheduled to be arraigned in Cambridge District Court on Tuesday include two people from Cambridge – Walsh and Michael Eden, 27 – and two from Somerville: Vera Van De Seyp, 30, and Willow Ross Carretero Chavez, 21. Those arrested also included people from Boston, Revere, Housatonic and Bristol, Rhode Island.
It is probably of note that this is driven by the DSA. Dan Totten has boosted Walshes posts and provided the location to their central sq location. The DSA candidates should disavow this violence brought to Cambridge especially a troubled area like Central Sq. The group has also called for the harassment of other tenants in the building and put a lot of fear into innocent residents and citizens working in these buildings. It is also worthy of note that Elbit in Cambridge was working on covid devices in the pandemic and are not making weapons as these terrorists have claimed. Anyone voting for a DSA candidate is essentially lighting a match to this city.
Embarrassing
Totten should be given the chance to disavow this act of violence, and if he doesn’t, groups endorsing him (DSA, Our Revolution, Residents Alliance) should be called for supporting a candidate who condones violence.
Great to go torture Cambridge cops typically aiding the unhoused. Really helpful. The DSA and supporting local leaders should get on a plane if they feel so complelled. Please dont use public safety resources here. Its not ok to abuse the police for protecting the public. I hope what Patrick Barrett said is not true.
This Calla Walsh, whoever that is, needs to go to school or get a job. Nineteen-year-olds have no idea what they’re talking about, a truth that unfortunately they won’t understand for another 20 years. (I certainly didn’t.)
As to the DSA, I’ve had enough of them. Dan Totten does need to disavow their nonsense immediately and tell them to leave our city alone, please.
A word about Elbit systems and KMC, its fully owned American subsidiary. Elbit Systems is Israel’s largest weapons developer. Elbit manufactures drones, large weapon systems, surveillance towers, ammunition, and other weapons technologies. These weapons and technologies are used worldwide including on our borders. Elbit Systems can be thought of as a giant octopus with many interconnected arms. KMC Systems Manager Derek Kane has stated (on line publication) about the site in Central Square: “the Cambridge Center will also serve as a proving ground for technologies that can be applied across Elbit’s verticals. Some of the data analytics that are used in healthcare may be applicable in non-healthcare markets.” Statements from KMC leadership indicate that Elbit’s activities in Central Square will not be strictly limited to medical capabilities, and may include development of the company’s weapons systems and and surveillance technologies. As a Central Square resident for more than 45 years, Elbit Systems is not welcome here. I do not condone violence and did not participate in the recent protest, but the facts about Elbit and its subsidiary KMC must be recognized. KMC is not a stand alone medical facility that only deals with Covid as some would have you believe.
Gerald,
You do in fact condone violence and you are not the gatekeeper to who is and who is not allowed in the city of Cambridge. Terrorizing the tenants of this building is unacceptable in any universe. Calling Reed Hildebrand, Workbar, HMFH Architects and terrorizing their employees is way out of bounds. I have friends who work there who have dedicated their entire professional careers to this city. You condone violence against them and should feel a deep pit of shame where you soul should be.
While I feel it is usually not worth the time or the space to answer unfounded and slanderous comments directed toward me (I am really not that important considering what is going on in the world), I have to say there is no truth in Mr. Barrett’s comments about me and what he accuses me of doing or what I condone. I am not a gatekeeper regarding who is allowed in Cambridge, but I do have the right to say who I personally do or don’t welcome here, and why I feel that way.
SanfordW–I agree that Dan Totten should be given the opportunity to respond and to disavow the violence and threats. Patrick has basically invited him to do just that is this comment section, which Totten surely has read by now. Yet there is silence.
Similarly, also in CD comments, a couple of weeks ago I called out DSA’s anti-semitic rally in New York, and asked for Totten to disown these positions. Silence there as well.
His silence is not an accident, it is telling.
Gerald,
You’re no stranger to “slanderous comments” maybe you find it less tasteful now that you post under your own name? Of course you’ve a first amendment right to speak your mind. However you advocate for and support candidates who bring violence to Cambridge. You should own that.
@PatrickWBarrett. Give me a break. The DSA and Trotten had nothing to do with what happened. They did not incite violence. Peaceful protests are democracy. Please keep your NIMBY agenda where it belongs.
*Peaceful protests* sad it’s come to 9 people being arrested and that’s considered peaceful.
Shameful the police have to waste their time arresting so many people in this quickly becoming dystopian area of Cambridge.
Yes central scare is a no go zone for me and my children. We’ve watched friend after friend leave that part of Cambridge. Can’t blame em!
Watch the video/s in the article there is nothing peaceful about it.
Little Danny Totten, attempting to defund the CPD and inciting riots all in the same month -what a guy !!
Cambridge voters, we can NOT allow Danny Totten a seat on “our” council !!
The only violence in these videos is police violence, aka something the city council should have some nominal power over. Why are the calls to disavow violence not focused on the armed agents of the state and their extreme overreaction in this case?
Also those of you who support the presence of a weapons company in our community have no place lecturing anyone on “condoning violence.” There is no nonviolent weapons company and Elbit is complicit in crimes against humanity in the Philippines, Armenia, Palestine, Myanmar, Honduras, and along the US-Mexico border.
Anyone who thinks an egg is more violent than that is not someone to take seriously.
That’s such destruction to our buildings. And discusting behavior towards our police. These same people protested against racism and now there raceist!!! Hope there in jail!
Little Dan Totten is young and dumb. Do NOT Vote for him! Hope these kids are in jail! For assaulting our police and destruction of private property!!