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51 Arrested In Boston Ferguson Protests, Trooper Bitten

BOSTON (CBS/AP) — State Police say 51 people were arrested in Boston late Tuesday night during protests of a grand jury's decision not to indict a white Ferguson, Missouri, officer who fatally shot an unarmed black teenager.

All but one were turned over to Boston police for booking Wednesday, most on disorderly conduct charges.

One state trooper was hurt when he was bitten on the wrist by a protester, according to police. He was treated at the scene.

An estimated 1,500 people marched from Dudley Square in the Roxbury down Massachusetts Avenue to the South Bay.

Officers blocked a ramp leading to Interstate 93 and the Massachusetts Turnpike to prevent the group from attempting to go on the highways.

Boston Protests
Ferguson protesters near Dewey Square in Boston. (WBZ-TV)

Police told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens Wednesday that most of those arrested were people from outside of Boston.

Many were students from Harvard, Tufts, and other local universities.

The average age of those arrested was 23 years old, according to Stevens.

Protest
Protest of Ferguson decision in Boston. (WBZ-TV)

Smaller marches and protests occurred in other cities across Massachusetts, including Springfield, Worcester, Northampton and Pittsfield. All were reportedly peaceful.

In a statement Wednesday, State Police said they will have "an increased presence around potential demonstration sites in Boston throughout the next few days."

(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Doug Cope Reports

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