Photo: Kyle Bray/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey is calling for a crackdown on illegal car meet-ups and drag racing events following a series of violent incidents in the Boston area.
Last weekend in Boston, more than 100 people blocked intersections with vehicles while throwing fireworks and objects at police cruisers.
Police say one of their cruisers was hit by fireworks, causing it to smoke and catch fire.
Two Rhode Island men were arrested.
There was a similar incident in Fall River, where the governor said an ambulance was blocked from getting through.
Brockton also reported illegal car meet-ups and drag racing.
Speaking at the State House on Wednesday, the governor had a warning for people taking part in illegal behavior. "Anyone who engages in that conduct will be found and will be held accountable to the furthest extent of the law," she said.
The governor added that there is 'zero tolerance' in the commonwealth for this kind of behavior, and she wants state police to work with local law enforcement to prevent these kinds of events from happening in the first place.
She also said these violent disturbances should not be used by the Trump administration as justification to send in the National Guard, and that doing so would be a waste of resources. "That's something the taxpayers need to understand," she said. "Donald Trump engaging the National Guard, sending the National Guard to other states, that costs you, that's on you, you're going to pay for that as a taxpayer, and there's just no need for that."
WBZ NewsRadio's Kyle Bray (@KyleBrayWBZ) reports.