A protester stands behind anti-abortion signs at the Town Common during the Hopkinton Farmers Market on Sunday. PHOTO/JULIE BEAUCHEMIN
A verbal confrontation between a protester and a vendor at the Hopkinton Farmers Market on Sunday led to a police response.
At 12:54 p.m., Hopkinton Police responded to the Town Common after a caller reported he was assaulted while protesting. According to Interim Police Chief Scott van Raalten, officers took reports from the involved parties and a witness. No charges were filed.
Market manager Julie Beauchemin explained that the incident occurred between one of the market vendors and the protester, who was holding up signs advocating against abortion.
“It was actually two confrontations that happened with two of our vendors,” Beauchemin clarified.
In the first incident, one vendor who had a pro-choice sign at their booth brought it to where the protester was stationed and stood alongside him. The second, which escalated to confrontation, involved a vendor who was asking questions of the individual to understand his beliefs better, according to Beauchemin.
The protester allegedly pulled up a video of an abortion procedure on his phone and put it in the vendor’s face. A verbal escalation followed, and the police were called.
Editor’s note: The following three paragraphs are updates based on the police report, which was acquired after the initial story was written:
According to the police report, which includes corroboration by the parties involved, when the protestor put the phone in the vendor’s face, the vendor took the phone and threw it on the ground. The vendor then walked away, and the protestor followed him. The protestor, a Medway resident, told police he wanted to charge the vendor with assault and battery for throwing the phone, but the responding officer, Augusto Diaz Jr., told him he “did not believe there was enough to charge the vendor at that time.”
Diaz also indicated that he advised the protestor “that although he has the right to protest, putting a phone in someone’s face might not be the best course of action during a heated argument.” Diaz also wrote in his report that, regarding the throwing of the phone, the vendor “agreed that this was not the best course of action.”
Added Diaz: “Subsequent to my conversations with both parties, I spoke with multiple witnesses who corroborated both parties’ accounts and stated that nothing became physical. … I was able to clear the scene without further incident.”
“Nobody was removed or arrested,” said Beauchemin. “We kind of let him stand there for the remainder of the market, and [he] left when we started to pack up.” She noted that the man arrived at the market close to when it opened.
Police did not provide the name of the protester, and Beauchemin said he had not been seen at the market before. According to his sign, the individual has some affiliation with an Oklahoma-based anti-abortion group known as Abolitionists Rising.
Beauchemin said she was “not happy” with the situation, adding that the market strives to be free of any religious or political statements. She also stated that the individual positioned themselves right behind the area where families like to sit on the green and listen to the local performers. He would ask people in attendance if they believed abortion was murder, she said.
“[Patrons] were clearly uncomfortable and left the market because of his presence,” Beauchemin remarked. She called the whole situation “very upsetting.”
The market manager recognized that the common is a public space and that members of the public have the right to assemble and exercise their right to free speech. However, the market strives to be an inclusive and safe space for all, she said.
Beauchemin worried that those with a personal history with abortion could find the protester and his sign upsetting. “We don’t want that,” she said.
In an email shared with the Independent, Beauchemin commended the vendors for their behavior during the incident. “Not one of us stepped out of line [Sunday] — you kept your cool, stood up for what you believe in and stood up for each other,” she stated.
“We have a wonderful community of vendors … who looked out for each other during this incident while also trying to support their own businesses,” Beauchemin stated in a follow-up. “They depend on the market for income to support their families, and a protest like this only deters shoppers, which hurts local business.”
Oh he caused quite a stir. He told me I shouldn’t wear the cross around my neck because I believe in a woman’s right to choose.
Choose what? To murder children.
Yeah. People with that position aren’t Christian, including you. Repent.
Morons calling abortion “murder.” Where were you to save all the children of parental abuse and actual MURDER because they were born and unwanted. WHERE WERE YOU?
The Bible doesn’t condemn abortion. People who transcribe it to their own beliefs and desires so.
Until you have something of intelligence to add, I suggest you stfu
“The Bible doesn’t condemn abortion.” WOW, just WOW…I am absolutely amazed that someone who claims knowledge of the Holy Bible has never heard of the Ten Commandments! It wasn’t just a movie you know!
Exodus 20:13 tells us, “Thou shalt not kill.” The Hebrew word in the Old Testament actually is translated to “MURDER.” The taking of a Life is MURDER, and especially taking the life of a child, and being allowed to take that life up until the moment of birth is not only MURDER, it is absolutely Demonic!
Those who advocate for the murder of children are actually worshiping MOLOCH, not the God of Abraham. Moloch is an ancient Canaanite and Ammonite deity famously associated in biblical texts with child sacrifice. Decide which one you serve!
I was not there so I don’t know how elevated it got or if protestor harassed anyone. If so, then yes the police needed to be called. But if the market strives to be “free of any political and religious statements” Then the vendor that had a pro choice sign at her table shouldn’t have been there. Or to bring their sign up to confront the protestor. It’s not going to end well. No need for any of this when trying to enjoy a peaceful outing at the market.
It was my sign which I made at the market. I used it standing next to him outside the market space. He got big mad that I also have the right to stand in a public space with a sign so when I went back to my booth he decided to move into the market space next to my booth with his sign. My sign was never displayed without his presence next to it. He just thought I would back down to make a sale. Also my sign said “Pro-Choice means he can choose to be pro life for himself because I believe he has rights” so without him the sign made no sense. Also he did harass people. He personally called me “r**arded” twice then said he was allowed to use that word because it is a medical term. I also witnessed him tell Beth from the comment above you she “needed to take off her cross necklace” because she shouldn’t be wearing it.
While I fiercely defend the right to speak, we must also advocate for a close, respectful sense of community where those rights don’t turn into harassment. It seems his reaction—getting angry, moving next to your booth to force a confrontation, and using slurs like ‘r**arded’—crossed the line from free speech into hostility. Telling Beth she ‘needed to take off her cross necklace’ is equally problematic; it’s a direct attack on someone else’s freedom of expression and religious identity, which undermines the very community we try to build.
She decided to move herself next to him and berate him, negate his message and insult him. You’re mad he did the same thing?
Jason, sweetie… you’re ignorant and ill-informed. She approached him and encroached on his space. You’re mad he did it in return? Your bias is showing. Pretending to be moderate while being a total progressive is shameful.
Is he not allowed to move like you did? He was “big mad” you were misrepresenting his message and berating him. Your sign remained up for the rest of the event with him not next to it. He didn’t think you’d back down to make a sale. He knew you’d back down when your male boss controlled your body. Act r*tarded and get called out for it. He’s allowed to use the term because of the First Amendment. Nothing to do with medical terminology. Any pro-abortion Christian is not Christian, and shouldn’t wear a necklace.
You were the most obnoxious part of the day and brought more tension and attention to the matter than was necessary. You made it worse and you’re pretending to be a good person. Weird.
Agreed Jodi. Why was the pro-choice sign allowed to be there? Appears to be typical liberalism where their beliefs are ok and if you disagree then…….
It’s called Freedom of Speech, read your Constitution!
Forgot your pills this morning Ray?
Another woman who avoids the substance of the argument to insult a man for his valid position. Shocking!
The protestor was very peaceful. He asked how people were doing and if they had thoughts on his sign. The reason the police were called, Jodi, was because the protester was assaulted and battered. You wouldn’t know that though because of the bias of everyone else there.
From this story, it sounds to me like he moved from free speech protesting into bullying territory.
He didn’t. He was literally standing there asking people how their day was. Vendors got triggered and attacked him. It’s clear as day and in the police report.
You’re not smart.
Thank you Law!
He is a detriment to the small businesses. I listened to multiple people leave the market because of him being there. He isn’t helping this community.