BOSTON — State leaders continue to weigh in on the body camera footage that got one Boston Police sergeant placed on administrative leave this week. The video was taken back in May, the night the George Floyd protests in Boston turned violent.
Senate President Karen Spilka called the footage disturbing.
“Certainly, I think it’s important that the incidents that were very disturbing get investigated and looked into,” she said.
WARNING: The footage may be difficult for some viewers.
It’s that body camera footage that has leaders across the state and across the country speaking out in concern. Snippets of the released video show Boston Police officers pepper-spraying and allegedly assaulting protestors back in May.
One part of that body camera footage got one sergeant placed on administrative leave as he described hitting protestors with his police car.
>>>PREVIOUS: Boston Police Sgt. placed on leave after body camera video released from night of protests
The Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association, which represents officers in the city, released a statement claiming the defense attorney who released the videos strung together contextually deficient video snippets.
The group also alleged that officers were assaulted with rocks, urine, bricks and more.
“The reality-altering effort and insult aside, the fact remains the violence and hatred perpetrated against our officers and our city that night will forever be engrained in the minds and memories of our officers and their families because of the damage done by the cop-hating anarchists and agitators who showed up to a peaceful protest armed for violence and looking for a fight,” their statement reads, in part.
That full statement can be read below:
BPPA releases statement relative to misleading media accounts falsely accusing #BPD Officers of police misconduct on May 31, 2020. pic.twitter.com/fUlhgxj9j3
— Boston Police Patrolmen's Association (BPPA) (@BostonPatrolmen) December 19, 2020
Boston 25 News reached out to the association’s president to see if he would speak with us and elaborate on the statement, but we did not hear back before publication.
The Bureau of Professional Standards is still investigating.
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