National Guard, Police Patrol Boston Streets After Sunday Night Riots
BOSTON (CBS) – There was heightened security in Boston Monday night after a night of riots and looting Sunday.
"It's pretty desolate out here. I look around and I don't see anything really other than police and scarce few people and boarded up buildings," said Geoffrey Fell.
On a walk down Newbury Street Monday night, police lined every corner and National Guard vehicles drove down the empty street.
"And I want to be clear. We're gonna keep Boston safe. So that Boston continues to be a place where you can make your voices heard," Mayor Marty Walsh said earlier in the day.
National Guard members patrolled the streets, passing boarded up shops.
"I don't know. I guess it's preparedness but it's still intense of an experience to have so many of them on each corner," Fell said.
The National Guard was already deployed for coronavirus relief, but the riots Sunday led Governor Charlie Baker to call on them for extra help.
"It's not good to mess up other people's businesses, but when the news platforms start covering businesses that are messed up, now people have to pay attention to what's going on," Kevin Jean told WBZ-TV.
Jean says he doesn't mind seeing police line the streets, because people are now talking about racism in the U.S.
"The disruption is kind of to get to people to pay attention to the important things in life, so the destruction, there's a method to the madness," Jean said.
