Byfield Man Among Those Charged with Blocking I-93

Massachusetts State Police Colonel Timothy Alben.

Massachusetts State Police Colonel Timothy Alben.

I-93A Byfield man was among a group of protestors arrested by Massachusetts State Police in connection with the temporary closure of Interstate 93 southbound in Medford during the morning commute Thursday.

State Police identified 18 people, including 26-year-old Andrew Robert Murray of the Byfield section of Newbury, who face charges including disorderly conduct, trespass on state/county property and resisting arrest. Murray is also facing an additional charge of carrying a dangerous weapon. He and the others were arraigned Thursday in Somerville District Court.

Another 11 people face similar charges in connection with a simultaneous protest which temporarily shut down northbound traffic on the Southeast Expressway in Milton.

According to State Police, troopers responded to reports of the protest occurring on I 93 Southbound in Medford/Somerville in the area of the Mystic Valley Parkway.  At this location protestors attached themselves to each other by passing their arms through an interlocking device crossed the travel lanes and brought traffic to a stop at that location.

Dozens of troopers, including members of the Special Emergency Response Team (S.E.R.T), responded to both scenes along with many members of local law enforcement, local fire departments, emergency medical services, and Massachusetts Department of Transportation.    The traffic back up caused by the actions of the protestors delayed emergency crews and equipment from arriving to the scene challenging.

At the Medford scene troopers swiftly and safely physically removed the protestors from the roadway. At 8:22 a.m. the travel lanes of I 93 southbound were opened for travel.

One thought on “Byfield Man Among Those Charged with Blocking I-93

  1. SHAME ON Andrew Robert Murray, 26 years old, and all of his fellow nitwits for blocking traffic on Route 93 last Thursday. Murray resides in the Byfield Section of Newbury and probably lives off the largess of Mommy and Daddy. These empty-heads endangered not only their own lives but those of RESPONSIBLE people who support themselves and work in Boston and beyond. These demonstrators should ALL be required to pay fines that are equal to their share of the monies expended by law enforcement to remove them from the highway. Most likely, these people are not productive members of society, depend on family and the generosity of taxpayers to support them and to pay their bills, and have nothing else to do but conjure up ways to stir up trouble.