Advertisement Protesters clash with police, block T tracks in Boston protest Boston protest generally peaceful; 10 arrested Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Several thousand people rallied -- generally peacefully -- in Boston on Thursday night to protest a grand jury's decision to not charge a white police officer in the videotaped chokehold death of an unarmed black man in New York City.Watch NewsCenter 5's report | Photos of protestsProtesters blocked some streets while marching to Boston Common, where the city's annual tree lighting ceremony was being held. Others attempted to block an entrance to the Massachusetts Turnpike.Demonstrators held signs saying "Justice for All" and "Black Lives Matter" and joined in chants including "Hey, hey, ho, ho. These racist cops have got to go."Many people later gathered outside the nearby Statehouse, where there was a brief scuffle with police.Watch Statehouse scuffle with policeProtesters were also able to walk onto the tracks at the Park Street station in Boston, forcing the MBTA to suspend Green Line service between North Station and Kenmore Station.Massachusetts State Police said they made four arrests. Three people were arrested in front of the State House, and one person was arrested on the Mass. Pike for blocking the ramp.Two more individuals were arrested by Boston police. The numbers were far lower than a Boston protest after the Ferguson Grand Jury decision."On the whole, protesters behaved appropriately, except for those few who became disorderly and those who walked onto one of our highways -- an unacceptable and dangerous action that will always be met with a swift police response, as it was tonight," Massachusetts State Police Col. Timothy P. Alben said in a statement.Barricades were placed on the Common several hours before the annual tree lighting and concert was scheduled to begin. A group of several hundred protesters gathered behind the barricades during the show, but did not disrupt the program.Watch Christmas Tree lightingGov. Deval Patrick said he's frustrated and discouraged by the grand jury's finding that there was no reasonable cause to bring charges. He said it's even more upsetting since there is a videotape showing police Officer Daniel Pantaleo holdingEric Garner in what appeared to be a chokehold, which is banned under New York Police Department policy, as Garner repeatedly gasped, "I can't breathe."Patrick, who served as the top civil rights official at the U.S. Justice Department during President Bill Clinton's administration, called the tape "chilling" and said it shows police "violated policy and best practice, and even humane practice.""I'm struggling to make sense of it personally," Patrick said. "I want to stand with those - the many, many others who are struggling to understand it - but I urge that we express ourselves peacefully and that we continue the long march to greater understanding."On its official Twitter account Friday, police thanked the thousands of people who demonstrated peacefully, saying: "You too should be proud." Police Commissioner William Evans said in a statement that he was proud of the "restraint and professionalism" shown by his officers.