Representative Liz Malia got arrested in an Eviction Blockage organized by City Life Vida Unida, similar to actions all over the state and the country that aim to keep homeowners in their homes, and force mediation. Here’s more pictures in a post on Blue Mass Group by Amberpaw.
and I can’t wait to see her CORI report, because it won’t be simple trespassing. She and the other civil disobediencers (I made that word up) were read the “Riot Act” by a no doubt very polite and very bored looking police officer.
Today’s “riot act”, is part of our general laws defining crimes against the public peace, and is a direct decedent from a statute passed in Massachusetts at the urging of Sam Adams of all people, to permit Sheriffs to shoot to kill all of those rebellious farmers during the Shays Rebellion. Passed by the Massachusetts State Legislature in the fall of 1786, the act forbade all gatherings of more than 12 armed persons and empowered sheriffs to kill rioters.
The back story on this for me anyway is that Luke Day, on of the leaders in Shay’s Rebellion was my great great great great Grand Uncle. They never shot him down, but they put him in prison and when he finally got out his health was destroyed and he was sued many times for not paying his mortgage. He died a poor man, but a brave and stubborn one to the end.
