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- A series of body-camera videos published in a report on Friday showed police officers in violent confrontations with protesters during demonstrations that followed the killing of George Floyd.
- “I’m f—ing hitting people with the car,” an officer says in one video, before backtracking after another officer appears to inform him that the body camera is on.
- The Boston Police commissioner announced Friday night that an investigation is being opened in response to the videos. He also said one officer has been placed on administrative leave.
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Boston police are investigating after a series of body-camera videos made public on Friday showed police officers in violent confrontations with protesters. One clip appeared to show an officer bragging to another that he had hit protesters with a car.
Boston Police Commissioner William Gross said in a statement Friday night that after seeing the videos, he has ordered an immediate investigation.
“I have placed a Sergeant involved in this incident on administrative leave and I will take any additional action as necessary at the conclusion of the investigation,” he said. “I want to encourage people to bring these matters to our attention so that we can investigate them appropriately.”
The videos, which were taken in May during protests that followed the killing of George Floyd, were published in a report from the The Appeal.
In one video, an officer was caught on body-camera footage describing a situation to another officer in which he reacts to a group of people he found gathered around an unmarked police cruiser.
"So then I had a f---er keep coming," he says in the clip. "I'm f---ing hitting people with the car, did you hear me, I was like 'get the f----'"
The officer speaking is abruptly cut off as the officer he is talking to, the one wearing the body camera, immediately turns and walks away. He returns moments later, saying, "it's on," presumably in reference to the camera.
The officer who was describing the incident with the car appears to backtrack.
"No, no, no, I know, what I'm saying is," he says. "I didn't hit anybody, it was, like, just driving."
After a moment, the officer with the body camera then says, "This thing just f---ing went on automatically."
It was not clear if one of the officers in this exchange was the sergeant the commissioner said has been placed on leave.
Other videos included in The Appeal's report showed officers repeatedly using force against protesters who have their arms raised. Police can be seen spraying pepper spray and using batons to push people to the ground.
The Appeal said it was given the footage by Carl Williams, a lawyer who is representing some of the protesters who were arrested on the night of May 31 to June 1, when the videos were taken. Williams reportedly said his team was reviewing more than 66 hours of footage.
Read the full report and watch the rest of the videos on The Appeal's site.