Protests today in support of and against Roe v. Wade turned violent at one point Sunday afternoon when a pro-choice demonstrator swung a bike lock at an anti-abortion speaker, almost hitting him in the head.
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"Someone came up with a bike lock, and they tried to hit me in the head," said David Giuggio, an anti-abortion advocate who was speaking at a demonstration across from a pro-choice protest when he was almost hit. "I was a little surprised, but in a way, not fully because I'm expecting this right now.
I dodged it, but it came at my head, and I was grabbed, my arm was grabbed. I was pushed, and he was trying to specifically hit me in the head," said Giuggio.
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The chance of violence has not detered Giuggio though.
"We have a right to be in the public square and share our faith, and that is what I believe."
The protester who initially hit Giuggio's sound system before advancing on Giuggio himself was searched and detained by police, and later identified as a 25-year-old resident in Allston. They're due to appear in court in Boston at an unspecified date.
The altercation stemmed from opposing rallies happening at the same time across the street from each other outside the State House, with hundreds of pro-choice protesters on one side, and smaller numbers of anti-abortion demonstrators on the other.
"Everybody has got to do something," said a pro-choice protester at the rally. "You can't just sit at home and hope it all works out, because it's not going to work out."
Other protesters remarked on the tension clearly present between the two sides on the street.
"There is a lot of emotion, it is kind of like a scary thing if you think about it."
The demonstrations from both sides lasted approximately two hours, continuing peacefully after the violent altercation between the members of the two camps.
Both groups are planning on organizing rallies for the weeks to come.
