Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick explained on CNN that part of the point of protests yesterday in Boston, New York City, and Washington, D.C. was to be “disruptive.”
The CNN host asked, “What is the goal here?”
“Such a great question,” answered Patrick, “because, you know, yesterday in Boston we had demonstrations as well, and we went to great lengths to try to connect with the organizers to the extent they were organized to get a sense of what they needed so that we could accommodate the protests and respect that right. And they weren’t interested in engagement because part of the point was to be disruptive.
“And I think it does beg some questions, what is it we’re trying to accomplish beyond disruption? certainly part of it is to make sure people understand just how broadly the concern lies around being understood, and not being fearful, either as unarmed black men or as police, and that huge chasm of misunderstanding between the two has got to be bridged.”
The Boston Herald characterized Patrick’s remarks as chastisement. “Gov. Deval Patrick — the country’s only sitting black governor — today chastised the latest demonstrators to tie up the city in defense of two unarmed black men killed by police as being ‘disruptive,'” the paper reports.
The march was intended to call attention to concerns about police treatment of minorities in the wake of the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and the choking death of Eric Garner Staten Island, N.Y. both at the hands of police.
