Transit Police report arresting a Boston man they say attacked a cop at Harvard Square station around 3:30 p.m. yesterday.

Police say the officer stopped Travis Artist after spotting him going through a fare gate without paying. The cop wrote him a citation and then Artist mouthed off, at which point the cop told him he was now trespassing and ordered him out of the station.

Approximately 10 minutes later Artist, ignoring his trespass notice, again entered into the station. The officer approached and explained that due to his tumultuous behavior moments earlier he would have exit the station. As the officer was escorting Artist out of the station Artist became verbally aggressive and refused to comply with the officers commands. A struggled ensued Artist violently struck the officer in the face. Due to the officer's determination and assistance from a private security guard he was able to subdue Artist. During the struggle the officer sustained multiple lacerations to the mouth and was stuck by an uncapped needle in his arm.

Artist is scheduled for arraignment today in Cambridge District Court on charges of assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest and trespassing, police say.

Innocent, etc.