Protester is arrested outside Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s home – The Boston Globe

Since early January, critics of Wu’s COVID-19 restrictions, significantly her vaccine mandate for metropolis workers, have gathered early within the morning outdoors her Roslindale dwelling to bang drums, blow whistles, and shout their opposition to her insurance policies. A number of Boston law enforcement officials are stationed outdoors Wu’s dwelling in the course of the protests, however till lately, they’d not taken any enforcement motion towards demonstrators. Police officers mentioned they have been doing their greatest to stability free speech rights with high quality of life within the neighborhood.

Final month, Wu proposed and succeeded in passing a brand new metropolis ordinance that barred focused protests between and 9 p.m. and 9 a.m., successfully pushing backing by two hours the time when noisy demonstrations may lawfully start outdoors her dwelling or another personal residence. Beforehand, a metropolis noise ordinance had required quiet solely till 7 a.m., permitting the demonstrators to start shouting and drumming when lots of Wu’s neighbors have been nonetheless asleep or simply starting their morning routines.

Neighbors say protests have continued, if much less steadily, even after the ordinance went into impact nearly a month in the past. The ordinance promised fines of $50 for a primary offense, $150 for a second offense inside a 12-month interval, and $300 for a 3rd and subsequent offenses.

Simply sooner or later after Wu signed the brand new ordinance, 5 demonstrators have been cited close to her dwelling for violating it. Police officers mentioned Monday that 10 folks have been cited beneath the brand new guidelines and referred to the Boston municipal courtroom in West Roxbury.

In keeping with the police report, Llewellyn and three different protesters have been gathered close to Wu’s dwelling round 7:30 a.m. Monday. A police sergeant gave the protesters a replica of the brand new metropolis ordinance that prohibits focused picketing at that hour and warned them that they might be topic to arrest if they didn’t go away. Llewellyn refused to depart and commenced to bang a cooking utensil towards a pot she had introduced “in a disturbing method,” in line with the report.

That is the second time Llewellyn has been charged with violating the protesting ordinance, in line with the police report.

Requested in regards to the arrest Monday at an unrelated occasion, Wu deflected, saying, “We need to be certain the power and the momentum is targeted on getting issues accomplished.”

She mentioned she was grateful for public security employees and didn’t say whether or not she was dwelling when the arrest was made.

Earlier this month, one other Wu critic and protester, Catherine Vitale, was arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer whereas protesting throughout a press convention at Boston Metropolis Corridor.

Danny McDonald of the Globe workers contributed to this report.

Emma Platoff will be reached at emma.platoff@globe.com. Comply with her on Twitter @emmaplatoff.