At Least Five JP People Among Those Arrested in I-93 Protests

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UPDATE: We've added new information from State Police.

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It's no surprise that JP was there for one of the most-talked-about demonstrations in recent Boston history. At least five of the 29 activists arrested in connection with the blockage of I-93 on Thursday are from the neighborhood.

Protesters chained themselves together with concrete-filled tubes or to concrete-filled barrels. Activists said in a statement that the action was to encourage white people to stand with people of color to protest systemic racism.

"As non-Black people acting in solidarity, it is necessary to disrupt a capitalist structure that has been built on the physical and economic exploitation of Black bodies since our country’s inception," read the statement in part.

Protesters blocked traffic at two points: Milton and Medford. In Milton, authorities say the blockage kept an ambulance from reaching a top-level trauma center.

Judging by addresses given by State Police, at least five Jamaica Plain people were arrested. Two others had addresses near JP in Mission Hill and Roxbury. A Boston Police source said a total of seven JP people were among those arrested. Below are listed only persons whose addresses are clearly in Jamaica Plain.

In Milton:

Mark F. Schwaller, 29, of Bynner Street and Noah McKenna, 28, of 12 Parley Vale pleaded not guilty to trespassing, throwing glass on a public way, willfully obstructing an emergency vehicle, conspiracy, disorderly conduct and throwing an object on a public way. McKenna was additionally charged with resisting arrest.

In Medford:

Thu Minh Nguyen, 23, Weld Hill Street; Benjamin S. Woods, 31, Parkton Road and Kendra Jae, 25, Dalrymple Street were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, trespassing on state/county property and resisting arrest. Woods was additionally charged with conspiracy.

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