Police say an officer shot during an incident in Roxbury on Friday night is doing better after going through surgery. The suspect was fatally shot, and in the hours afterward there were tense moments between officers and community members who gathered at the scene.
Throughout the weekend a divisive discussion continued over social media. Those events indicate that discussions and protests about police treatment of minorities will continue in Boston.
Last year the city saw rallies over police-involved deaths in Ferguson and Staten Island. So far, there have been fewer arrests of protesters here than elsewhere. But there can still be misunderstandings, tensions and consequences when people assemble in protest.
Last December, Christian and Addis Summerhill were arrested with eight others for disorderly conduct and trespassing on a ramp near South Station. The two are Boston Public Schools teachers in their early 30s.
"A female subject directly in front of me stopped walking, dropped, and sat on the ground. I told the subject at least five times to get up or she would be arrested. The subject did not move," read the police report written by a State Police officer.
From Addis Summerhill's point of view, this is what happened:
"I'd asked the police to stop pushing me four times. And when they didn't, I just sat down. I only have control over my own body. And, so, if walking is not doing what it's supposed to, then that's my shut down." she said.
Christian Summerhill joined in: "And so I'm turning to see this and I was pushed to the ground. And I get up. And I was like ‘why are you arresting my wife.’"
Addis’ arrest was not caught on video, but Christian Summerhill’s was. He said when state troopers didn't answer, he also let himself fall to the ground, and was arrested.
That night, the Summerhills, who are African American, found themselves part of a confusing new chapter in the rich history of Boston protests. As this chapter continues and Boston sees more demonstrations fueled by the sometimes uncomfortable subjects of race and police-community relations, more people like the Summerhills may interact with law enforcement for the first time. And like the Summerhills, they may struggle to understand police behavior, and how courts handle interactions between police and protesters.
Tufts University Psychology assistant professor Keith Maddox said many protesters at other times and in other places have endured much worse than the pushing the Summerhills experienced. But the couple reacted from their own context.
"Their relative lack of experience makes them look at the situation in a way that's different from the more seasoned protesters or the police," Maddox said.
The Summerhills saw a situation in which they were beat disrespected and treated unfairly, he said, but law enforcement thought it was being relatively lenient.
"They're basically saying, look, we're not beating them up. So why are you making a big deal about how we treat protesters here -- we're so much better than other places," Maddox said.
Compared to other cities, Boston has been more supportive of recent demonstrations. But Boston Police Commissioner Bill Evans says law enforcement is also responsible to the larger community. He talked about it on Boston Public Radio about a month after the Summerhills were arrested.
"We're all for the protesting. All we ask is they do it respectfully, they do it peacefully, and they're not disrupting traffic. I know the public is starting to get real fed up at us, that we're not doing more."
In a way, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office struck a balance. As it typically does for non-violent protesters, the office offered the Summerhills and others arrested a relatively easy out by downgrading their charges to a civil infraction with no fine. Other protesters arrested that day took the reduced charges, accepting responsibility for misconduct. But the Summerhills decided not to take the deal.
"I did not deserve to even accept a symbolic slap on the wrist," Christian Summerhill said.
"You can't just railroad people," Addis Summerhill added. "You can't just arrest them and make them agree that it was an okay arrest."
A judge dismissed the charges. Suffolk District Attorney's Office spokesman Jake Wark said that doesn't mean prosecutors should alter their approach to protesters.
"Of the dozen or so individuals that were arrested, a judge entered a finding of not responsible on only two of them. That's a pretty successful rate and one that we're satisfied with. We don't see a need to change anything at this stage," Wark said.
The Summerhills felt vindicated. But the repercussions of their interactions with police continue to reverberate in their lives. Christian Summerhill talked to his students about his experience and says two parents complained. His headmaster asked him not to return next year. Summerhill said even before then he had been warned about his disregard for the rules. A BPS spokesperson noted that the district policies, or "rules" referenced, were most likely about staff attendance in school.
"There is some truth to it. I am a strong advocate for my students," Summerhill said. "This arrest and the complaint of parents was kind of like the icing of the cake."
Christian Summerhill could apply to work at another district school, but says he probably won’t.
