Prosecutor: Daughter of Mass. Rep. Katherine Clark assaulted Boston police officer, defaced monument

BOSTON — The daughter of Massachusetts Rep. Katherine Clark faced a judge Monday after being arrested over the weekend for allegedly assaulting a Boston police officer and defacing a monument during a protest on Boston Common.

Riley Dowell, of Melrose, was arraigned in the Central Division of Boston Municipal Court on charges of assault and battery on a police officer, vandalizing property, tagging property, vandalizing a historic monument, and resisting arrest, according to the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office.

Police attempted to arrest Riley, who was seen defacing the Parkman Bandstand with spray paint and anti-police phrases, but the 23-year-old resisted arrest by flailing her arms, striking one of the arresting officers, Assistant District Attorney Daniel Nucci told the court.

Officers found a paint can in Riley’s backpack and observed paint on her hands and jacket, according to Nucci. The tagging is said to have read “NO COP CITY” and “ACAB”.

During the arrest, “A group of about 20 protesters began to surround officers while screaming profanities though megaphones on the public street causing traffic to come to a standstill,” Boston police said.

Police noted that the officer who Dowell allegedly struck could be seen bleeding from the nose and mouth.

“Some spray painting was done on the great grandstand inside the Boston Common,” said the Assistant District Attorney. “When the police approached, the defendant flailed striking one of the officers in the face.”

When Riley left court with her father and attorney, they would not answer questions.

On Monday in Watertown, Boston 25 asked Clark, the House Democratic whip, about her daughter’s arrest.

“I love all of my children and Riley dearly. But this is a difficult time. In that cycle of joy and pain of being a parent,” said Clark, who was visiting Watertown to talk about climate resiliency and funding she secured.

Police say they found several items in Riley’s backpack when she was arrested including black spray paint, Sabre Red pepper gel as well as a medical trauma pack and a first-aid kit.

Clark, who represents the state’s 5th Congressional District, was asked why she did not reference her concern for the police officer who was hurt.

“It has been my work and my position and priority that every single person in every single zip code has the same assumption as an assumption of safety in their communities and police are critical partners in that work going forward,” said Clark.

On Sunday, Clark acknowledged her daughter’s arrest in a tweet. Clark represents the state’s 5th Congressional District.

“Last night, my daughter was arrested in Boston, Massachusetts. I love Riley, and this is a very difficult time in the cycle of joy and pain in parenting,” Clark wrote. “This will be evaluated by the legal system, and I am confident in that process.”

During the arraignment, defense attorney Chris Dearborn asked Nucci to consider impounding Dowell’s address and redacting her address from any copy of police reports.

“There’s been some extremist commentary online, that I would suggest has started to creep into veiled threats,” Dearborn said.

Nucci did not object with Dearborn.

Dowell was ordered held on $500 bail and to stay away from Boston Common.

Also on Saturday, officers arrested Andrea Colletti, 27, of Brighton after police were called back to the Parkman Bandstand Monument. Colletti was charged with damage of property by graffiti/tagging, destruction or injury of personal property and resisting arrest.

Boston 25 asked Colletti if she saw any police getting hurt. “I did not resist arrest,” Colletti said.

Both Dowell and Colletti are scheduled to be back in court in April.

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