"Free Speech" rally in Boston

I attended the rather peaceful "Free Speech" rally on the Boston Common today. After the rally was shut down police had to push back counter-protesters along Boylston Street to clear a path for the police paddy wagons full of "Free Speech" activists. This was when emotions started to get tense. Most of the counter-protesters refused to move and things ramped up pretty quickly as the police started to advance on the counter-protesters. Several arrests were made as police eventually cleared a path for the "Free Speech" activists to safely leave the scene. 

These photos show only a very small portion of what was a much larger and very peaceful event. I attended the rally as a spectator on my own free time and wanted to witness and photograph history being made in Boston. I was not assigned to cover the rally.

Fuji X-T2, 1/250 @ f/5, ISO 1250, 18-55mm

Boston Police meet up with counter-protesters as they try to secure the scene after the "Free Speech" rally on the Boston Common, Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017. [Wicked Local Staff Photo / David Sokol]

Fuji X-T2, 1/250 @ f/6.4, ISO 3200, 18-55mm

A counter-protester falls on the ground in front of Boston Police as they try to secure Boylston Street after the "Free Speech" rally on the Boston Common, Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017. [Wicked Local Staff Photo / David Sokol]

Fuji X-T2, 1/250 @ f/5, ISO 1250, 18-55mm

Boston Police push back counter-protesters as they try to secure the scene after the "Free Speech" rally on the Boston Common, Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017. [Wicked Local Staff Photo / David Sokol]

Fuji X-T2, 1/500 @ f/5, ISO 640, 18-55mm

Boston Police push back counter-protesters as they try to secure the scene after the "Free Speech" rally on the Boston Common, Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017. [Wicked Local Staff Photo / David Sokol]

Fuji X-T2, 1/500 @ f/5, ISO 1250, 18-55mm

A counter-protesters moves to avoid a Boston Police officers as they try to secure the scene after the "Free Speech" rally on the Boston Common, Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017. [Wicked Local Staff Photo / David Sokol]