Crime & Safety
Man Accused Of Driving Through Crowd Of BLM Protesters In Court
Witnesses said the Needham man shouted at them then drove his car through a crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters outside Newton City Hall.

NEWTON, MA β A 55-year-old Needham man has been arraigned Monday on a charge of driving into a crowd of Black Lives Matter demonstrators outside of Newton City Hall in July, according to the Middlesex District Attorneyβs office. No one was injured during the incident.
Stephen Wicks, 55, was released on personal recognizance and ordered to have no contact with witnesses from the incident, according to the DAβs office. Wicks is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 24, according to the DA's office.
Police had charged him with operating a motor vehicle so as to endanger and failure to use care when starting a motor vehicle.
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In July, City Hall officials and rally goers said the man drove into a crowd of demonstrators as they were holding a racial justice protest. The group of demonstrators, mostly students, were rallying in support of the Black Lives Matter movement at the front entrance of City Hall.
They said a man walking out of City Hall confronted them, interrupted a speech and threatened a speaker, according to witnesses. According to the mayor's office he then got into his pickup and instead of leaving the area closest to him, drove "aggressively" toward the rally. A video shows young people on the steps of city hall expressing surprise and yelling after the man.
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