Street takeovers in Mass. turned violent: Police say it 'needs to be addressed' but what can be done?
UPDATE: Mass. legislator files bill to crack down on explosion of violent street takeovers
In the span of just over three hours, streets in four Massachusetts communities were taken over by dangerous, 100-person crowds — including one that ended with a Boston police cruiser set on fire.
Another takeover saw an officer nearly struck by a stolen car and an ambulance blocked on the road, and at least two incidents involved fireworks directly shot at police.
Street takeovers — where large groups gather to look at cars, race, do donuts and drive recklessly — have surged across the state over the past six months, Michael Bradley, the executive director of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, told MassLive.
While these events aren't new, Bradley said they've been flagged as a national public safety issue now taking root in Massachusetts after officials raised the topic during recent Safe Neighborhood roundtables in Brockton, Holyoke and Lynn.
Social media now plays a major role in fueling these takeovers, Bradley said, allowing organizers to quickly mobilize large crowds and evade law enforcement. And now, the problem is spilling beyond major cities into smaller communities, stretching local police resources and raising new safety concerns.
But this weekend's violence — when officers and cruisers were attacked with poles, cones and fireworks — has pushed the issue into the spotlight.
And for law enforcement, it's not just the frequency of these takeovers or the danger they pose to the public that's troubling.
It's the escalating aggression toward police officers trying to break them up.
"There seems to be a growing hostility towards law enforcement officers attempting to disperse the crowds," Bradley said.
"This is very concerning."
Demanding consequences
Law enforcement leaders across the state are demanding swift and strong consequences. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu denounced last Sunday's acts just hours after they happened, at the Roslindale Parade.
"The outside individuals who came into our city to cause disorder and brought dangerous behavior here will be prosecuted," Wu said.
Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said "we're not going to accept [street takeovers] here," and that this type of issue is "a nationwide thing." Randolph Police Chief Anthony Marag said on Monday, "It's a trend that's come this way now, but it needs to be addressed."
And Gov. Maura Healey vowed a "zero tolerance" approach to street takeovers when speaking with reporters on Wednesday.
"Whether you're in Massachusetts or you're thinking about coming to Massachusetts, you are not welcome to engage in that conduct at any time, in any place, anywhere in this state," she said.
Before a judge set the bail for the Boston defendants , the city's police department asked for "strong action from the criminal justice system" to discourage future takeovers.
However, Bradley believes the courts' response, so far, has not shown the level of commitment needed to stop these increasingly reckless events.
Five people who were arrested during the street "takeover" in Fall River are no longer in custody. They were released on personal recognizance.
In Boston, two suspects had their bail set at $1,000 and $500 on Monday, with one walking out of the courthouse the same day.
"Releasing on personal recognizance or little to no bail, I think, doesn't really put any teeth into this for us," Bradley said, adding that Massachusetts courts "need to take action."
Prosecutors from the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office had requested bail of $20,000 and $15,000 for the 18- and 19-year-olds charged in connection with the Boston incident.
They'd also asked for the defendants to stay away from Boston, that they be fitted with GPS monitoring to ensure they stay away and that they were placed on a 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. curfew.
The Executive Office of the Massachusetts Trial Court declined an interview with MassLive, and the Bristol County District Attorney's Office did not respond to a request for an interview.
But the website for bail states that "each bail depends on the unique situation," and that there are several factors — like a defendant's past criminal records, whether they're a flight risk and the amount of harm they pose to the community — considered when judges set bail.
While bail is just an initial step in the legal process and not the final consequence a suspect may face, some Massachusetts lawmakers say this current approach isn't enough, and are ready to step in.
Changes
State Rep. Steven Xiarhos , a former Cape Cod police officer, said he's filing two bills to tackle the growing social media-fueled phenomenon of street takeovers .
The first would boost the penalty for assaulting a police officer from the current misdemeanor in most cases to a felony.
The second is based on existing law in Florida . That statute, enacted in 2022, prohibits street takeovers and punishes spectators and participants alike.
"You need to respect police officers. They're risking their lives for us 24/7," Xiarhos, R-5th Barnstable, told MassLive as he left a memorial service for fallen officers at the State House on Wednesday.
"I believe [street takeovers] are part of a plan to cause havoc. And when you allow someone to get away with things, it gets worse, so we need to get tougher on them," Xiarhos said.
"When they get caught, they need to be held in custody," he continued.
"Stop paying their bail and put them behind bars. That's how you stop things. It's not that hard. There's only a few people that do wrong things. So get tougher on them," he said.
Lawmakers in other states are also taking steps to crack down on street takeovers. Over the past year, at least four states — Connecticut, New York, South Carolina, and Virginia — have introduced legislation aimed at clamping down on the gatherings.
Connecticut and Virginia have already enacted new laws. In Connecticut, violators can now face a two-year driver's license suspension, and cities and towns have the authority to set their own rules — including the destruction of seized ATVs and dirt bikes.
The law followed dangerous incidents, including a takeover in North Haven last December that injured two people , after which officials promised a statewide "crackdown."
Virginia's law allows for up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine for anyone participating in a takeover, with an additional $500 fine for riding on the exterior of a vehicle.
Elsewhere in the country and in recent weeks, the Austin, Texas, police department took preemptive action to warn the public about a planned illegal street takeover event.
The department publicly announced it "will not tolerate reckless driving or illegal activity," and said that participants would be subject to arrest and vehicles impounded.
Last month, the Los Angeles Police Department said on social media that its Street Racing Task Force would be patrolling for illegal street takeovers and stated, "Participate in a takeover, lose your car."
And in Alabama, a law enforcement action known as Operation Knight Rider analyzes data to narrow down and target hotspots for resource deployment, AL.com reported.
In one month, Operation Knight Rider resulted in 34 arrests . Three of those cases were referred to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Alabama for potential federal prosecution.
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