For the first time, Cambridge police threatened to arrest pro-Palestinian demonstrators for marching in the street. The protesters were celebrating the departure of Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems from its Central Square location with a rally on Labor Day.
Officers didn’t carry out their threat and the demonstrators marched on roadways from the former Elbit office at 130 Bishop Allen Drive to Kendall Square without incident, despite at least five warnings to move onto the sidewalk or be arrested.
Each time, an officer using a bullhorn read a statement from a piece of paper, saying the protesters were blocking a roadway and that they would be arrested if they did not move to the sidewalk. The officer said the reason was not the content of their speech, but their obstructing the street.
The protesters’ more powerful loudspeaker drowned out the warning in most instances, and the man using the loudspeaker advised police to get better technology. “Isn’t it in your budget?” he said.
During months of weekly protests, demonstrators usually blocked Bishop Allen Drive and often moved onto the much busier Prospect Street. They sometimes marched down Massachusetts Avenue. Police officers would stop cars and trucks from traveling on Prospect Street. in the sections where protesters marched. They would gather behind, beside and in front of marchers on Massachusetts Avenue to protect them from traffic.
There was no threat of arrest for marching in the street, and police officials have said previously that they aim to provide safe space for people to enjoy their free speech rights without endangering the public.
Police spokesperson Robert Goulston, asked why police had changed their policy, said the department has “worked to provide ample space and opportunities for the public to engage in their constitutional rights. At the same time, we have received feedback from the public that in addition to disrupting business and residents, blocking major roadways creates a number of public safety concerns for emergency vehicles.”
“As we work to ensure the free-speech rights of protesters, we want to be clear that our primary goal is to keep everyone safe while ensuring that all can move freely and express themselves throughout the city,” Goulston said.
Moving to MIT
Elbit’s subsidiary KMC Systems, which designs and makes equipment used in biomedical research, moved into a space at 130 Bishop Allen Drive in December 2021. The building was vandalized several times by protesters and nine people were arrested there last Oct. 30 after a protest turned violent, police said. There have been no arrests during demonstrations since then.
Elbit and its landlord, Intercontinental Management Corp, confirmed Wednesday that Elbit had terminated its lease. The lease was expected to end in 2025. Elbit said it “regularly makes real estate decisions” to help the company. The leader of the protests, BDS Boston, said “collective action” by the organization and allies had forced “the early termination of the lease.”
Despite Elbit’s departure, about 50 protesters showed up at 130 Bishop Allen Drive on Labor Day. They replaced their usual chant of “Elbit is not welcome here” with “Elbit is no longer here.”
A speaker said the demonstrators will continue their fight against the defense contractor. Elbit may find another space in Cambridge or a nearby community, he said. Elbit also has ties to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, another speaker said. Monday’s march ended at the MBTA Kendall/MIT station near that campus, and the demonstrators said the school will be a target of continued protests.
Feature image by Nicholas Pfosi.
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Sad to notice that this demonstration is led by BDS Boston, an organization with a Genocide agenda (removing all the Jews from Israel) and no mention of the fact that Hamas could end this war in an hour, just by laying down its arms and returning the hostages
I am reminded of the inspiring words of the late civil rights hero John Lewis.
“Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”
I am heartened that the kind people of our city continue to stand against Netenyahu’s illegal campaign to exterminate the Palestinian people living in Gaza. We must continue to take to the streets until our government stops funding the Israeli war machine.
No more murder in our names!