OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark’s child was arrested in Boston on Saturday night after allegedly vandalizing a monument and then assaulting a police officer while being taken into custody.
According to a Boston police news release, Jared Dowell of Melrose was arrested during the anti-police protest. Dowell was placed under arrest and charged with Assault by Means of a Dangerous Weapon, Destruction or Injury of Personal Property, and Damage of Property by Graffiti/Tagging.
Clark released a statement on Twitter following the arrest and described Dowell as “non-binary” and referred to her child as “Riley” and “my daughter.”
“I love Riley, and this is a very difficult time in the cycle of joy and pain in parenting. This will be evaluated by the legal system, and I am confident in that process,” she tweeted.
Last night, my daughter was arrested in Boston, Massachusetts. I love Riley, and this is a very difficult time in the cycle of joy and pain in parenting.
This will be evaluated by the legal system, and I am confident in that process.
— Katherine Clark (@RepKClark) January 22, 2023
Below is the full incident report:
Incident 1: At about 9:30 PM, on Saturday, January 21, 2021, officers assigned to District A-1 (Downtown) responded to a call for a protest at the Parkman Bandstand Monument located within the Boston Common, 139 Tremont Street.
Upon arrival officers observed an individual defacing the monument with spray paint. The tagging read “NO COP CITY” and “ACAB”. The suspect was later identified as Jared Dowell, 23, of Melrose.
During the arrest of Jared Dowell, a group of about 20 protesters began to surround officers while screaming profanities though megaphones on the public street causing traffic to come to a standstill. While interfering with the arrest of Jared Dowell, an officer was hit in the face and could be seen bleeding from the nose and mouth.
Jared Dowell was placed under arrest and charged with; Assault by Means of a Dangerous Weapon, Destruction or Injury of Personal Property and Damage of Property by Graffiti/Tagging. Dowell is expected to be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court.
Incident 2: At about 10:27 PM, on Saturday, January 21, 2023, officers assigned to District A-1 (Downtown) made a second arrest at the Parkman Bandstand Monument of Andrea Colletti, 27, of Brighton. After attempting to flee on foot, she was apprehended. After a brief struggle ensued, she was placed under arrest and charged with; Damage of Property by Graffiti/Tagging, Destruction or Injury of Personal Property and Resisting Arrest. Colletti is expected to be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court.
Proud mom, no doubthttps://t.co/qVBT51hhjr
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) January 23, 2023
On Monday morning, Dowell pleaded not guilty in Boston Municipal Court to multiple charges including assaulting a police officer.
Dowell faces charges of assaulting a police officer, tagging property, vandalism of a historical marker, and resisting arrest.
“Boston police officers were called to the reported protest around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday. Dowell allegedly spray painted “NO COP CITY” and “ACAB,” which is an anti-police acronym, onto the monument. When officers were arresting Dowell, police said that a group of around 20 protestors began to surround officers, ‘while screaming profanities though megaphones on the public street causing traffic to come to a standstill,'” MSN reported.
“One officer was hit in the face and was bleeding from the nose and mouth while arresting Dowell, according to the Boston Police Department, but the agency did not specify who it is accusing of striking the officer,” the report added.
