Hecklers force Boston Mayor Michelle Wu to abruptly end Mass and Cass news conference
BOSTON – Mayor Michelle Wu came to talk about what she believes is progress in the area of Boston known as Mass and Cass. But protesters who believe Wu isn't doing enough to clean up the area drowned her out instead.
Protesters stood behind Wu at Clifford Playground in Roxbury holding signs. When the event began, the mayor spoke for several minutes as the crowd chanted messages including "Shame on Wu."
"What the politicians want is numbers, what the community wants is action," yelled one man in the crowd during Wu's Thursday press conference in Roxbury.
Wu was forced to cut the press conference short and continue indoors as protesters said those on the streets are spilling into their neighborhoods jeopardizing safety.
"She's not doing a damn thing. Mass and Cass is all being spread out," a protester who didn't want to identify himself said.
Watch: Michelle Wu abruptly ends news conference
The day after the city moved to take the tents and people off busy Southampton Street for safety and move them to a side street, the mayor had a different story about Boston meeting the challenges it's facing.
"We need partnership from the state, we need 1,000 more units of housing to be created outside the city of Boston," Wu said.
Wu said that as they have moved people to nearly 200 units of housing, many come in from out of state to the area considered an open air drug market.
"We're not asking people to take the world, we're asking everyone to do what's right," said Susan Sullivan, executive director of the Newmarket Business Improvement District, which represents businesses in the area.
Juan Bravo looks out at nearby Clifford Park where there's now an almost daily cleanup of trash and needles.
"I want the mayor to be able to do more than what she's saying," Bravo said.
But according to the mayor, there are fewer tents, fewer people around Mass and Cass, and she insists they are getting help.
"It's not an on/off switch on any of this from day one. We're looking at new strategies, new approaches to direct resources in the right way," Wu said.
Among the cleaning crew at Clifford Park is Adam Sudduth who lived on the streets for six years. He said those still in the area need housing and resources and need to have the will to help themselves.
"People need to make the effort to get it themselves, and if they're not making the effort they're just taking up space down there," Sudduth said.