Boston Marathon cheering squad feels racially targeted after police response in Newton
NEWTON - There was excitement in the air this Marathon Monday, but members of one group, mostly people of color, posted a video on social media of an experience they say put a big damper on their day. The cell phone video shows a Newton Police bicycle patrol lined up between the group and the runners.
"It makes me feel so targeted. I was hoping we could feel welcome and that we belong at that event," said Aliese Lash, who heads up the Pioneers Run Crew, one of the groups that organized the cheering squad.
Newton Police put out a statement: "After being notified by the B.A.A. three times about spectators traversing the rope barrier and impeding runners, the Newton Police Department responded respectfully and repeatedly requesting that spectators stay behind the rope."
Newton Police video shows spectators jumping onto the course, something often seen at other spots along the route.
"Down the street at Wellesley, people are jumping on the course to kiss people," said Lash. "There's no police presence like that on the course anywhere else, and to us that was really disturbing. It was really traumatizing and triggering," she said.
Tuesday, there were remnants of confetti on the lawn where the group was celebrating along Commonwealth Avenue between miles 20 and 21 right before the notorious "Heartbreak Hill".
One neighbor, who wanted to stay anonymous, said it was louder than past years. "No comparison. It was drowning out the crowds," he said. "It was deafening, deafeningly loud. It was so loud, it was literally vibrating the house."
The B.A.A, which runs the Boston Marathon, sent a statement saying it's "committed to creating a safe and enjoyable experience for the athletes, volunteers, and spectators."