Boston police and prosecutors are investigating after body cameras showed officers pushing protesters, crowds of pepper spray and an officer talking about touching protesters with a police car.
A sergeant was placed on administrative leave after the leakage of images taken during demonstrations in May following the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis.
The protests in Boston on May 31 were mostly peaceful until the night when vandalism was reported. More than 50 people were arrested, 18 bystanders were hospitalized, and nine officers were treated for injuries, Boston.com reported.
The videos posted Friday by the Appeal, an online news outlet, showed officers pushing nonviolent protesters to the ground, spraying pepper spray on people and into the crowd, and one officer saying he may have hit people with a car.
A lawyer for the protesters has requested the video.
Police Commissioner William Gross said in a statement that he ordered an investigation once the videos were brought to his attention.
“I have placed a sergeant involved in this incident on administrative leave and will take additional action as needed at the end of the investigation,” said Gross. “I want to encourage people to bring these matters to our attention so that we can investigate them appropriately.”
Mayor Marty Walsh said the footage was difficult to view and that he hoped to get answers through the investigation.
“We never want police officers to use more force than necessary, even when tensions are high,” he said.
A spokesman for Suffolk district attorney Rachael Rollins said she was also investigating.