Here is a look at developments related to protests of police treatment of African Americans across New England:
RHODE ISLAND
Providence lifted its curfew Saturday after a Black Lives Matter demonstration drew at least 10,000 peaceful protesters - and resulted in nine arrests.
“Yesterday, we came together as one city and as one voice to say loud and clear that Black Lives Matter. I want to thank everyone for a peaceful night and for showing this country what unity and strength looks like,” Mayor Jorge Elorza said Saturday in a statement. The 9 p.m. curfew was originally going to remain in effect until Tuesday.
On Friday, thousands gathered downtown at Kennedy Plaza before marching to the Statehouse, where the crowd swelled in size. Many chanted, “No justice, no peace,” and “I can’t breathe” - George Floyd’s plea in his last moments to the white Minneapolis police officer who pressed his knee into the handcuffed black man’s neck on Memorial Day.
Police, some of whom knelt in solidarity with demonstrators, said only a few unruly protesters were taken into custody.
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MASSACHUSETTS
Protests continued on Saturday across Massachusetts at locations including Worcester, Cambridge and Lawrence. A “UMass Boston Justice for Black Lives” was being held Saturday evening in Boston.
Police in riot gear, working in pairs, began appearing on Boston city streets on Saturday.
Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, who joined protesters Friday, posted Saturday about his experiences, saying that “for the last 13 days I have been sick” about Floyd’s death.
“I stand with the black community. Black Lives Matter. There is no room in this world for racism. Period,” he wrote on Instagram.
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MAINE
Portland Mayor Kate Snyder and members of the City Council gathered Saturday to express support for peaceful protests and the Black Lives Matter movement.
They outlined actions that are in the works including reviewing police policies and training on use of force, body cameras, crisis intervention and racial bias. They also expressed support for City Manager Jon Jennings after some protesters called for his dismissal.
The press conference after the largest demonstration against police mistreatment of black people in Maine stretched over nearly eight hours, ending early Saturday in Portland.
The crowd swelled to about 2,000 people Friday evening in Portland. More demonstrations were being held across the state on Saturday.
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NEW HAMPSHIRE
Several hundred people participated Saturday in a student-led demonstration in New Hampshire’s capital city.
The group chanted “I can’t breath” and “Not one more” while marching from the Memorial Field sports complex to the Statehouse, where the group read names of people killed by police and held a moment of silence for each.
A day earlier, leaders in Manchester, including Mayor Joyce Craig, called for two aldermen to resign after reportedly making inflammatory comments about protesters on social media.
Alderman-At-Large Joe Kelly Levasseur told protesters, “Go ahead make their day,” implying a police crackdown was coming. He later said he was referring people espousing violence, not peaceful protesters.
And Ward 8 Alderman Michael Porter is accused of suggesting protesters should be removed with a “big old plow truck.” He later clarified that the truck should be parked to block protesters - not used to push demonstrators away with the plow.
The pair’s actions “are an embarrassment to the people of Manchester and an insult to everyone who is working to bring positive change to our city, state, and nation,” Craig and seven other Manchester aldermen wrote.
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CONNECTICUT
Connecticut’s capital city could vote this week on creating an independent accountability board to recommend reforms in the police department amid protests about mistreatment of African Americans.
Hartford City Council Majority Leader Thomas J. Clarke II told the Hartford Courant that it’s a critical time to act in the wake of Floyd’s death.
He said he hoped the council will vote on a resolution at its meeting Monday. Mayor Luke Bronin told the newspaper he welcomed the creation of the board.
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