A 7 News crew that covered Sunday’s George Floyd protests in Boston was attacked early Monday by vandals who tossed projectiles at their network truck, shattering the driver’s side window, according to video footage posted by a WHDH-TV reporter.
The reporter, Nathalie Pozo, tweeted out video footage of the attack around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday.
“As our night was coming to an end...This happened,” Pozo tweeted. “Thankfully we are all ok. After six hours of covering peaceful #GeorgeFloydProtests in Boston- It took a turn, from powerful messages to vandalism & looting @7News #7News @photogsap.”
In the video-clip included in the tweet, Pozo and her crew are riding in their 7 News truck when at least one vandal tosses a projectile at the vehicle, striking the driver’s window.
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“[Expletive]!” the driver shouts, putting his hand to his face as the window shatters. Others in the truck can be heard saying “are you okay?” and “pull over” as the driver slowly pulls the truck over. The remainder of the clip includes shots of the truck’s shattered windshield and driver’s side window, as well as graffiti etched across the passenger side exterior of the vehicle.
Pozo’s tweet elicited sympathetic messages from colleagues in the news business, including WBZ reporter Anna Meiler.
“I’m so sorry this happened to you guys,” Meiler tweeted. “so glad you’re okay.”
Meiler’s tweet was echoed by WCVB sports and news reporter Josh Brogadir.
“Unbelievable,” Brogadir tweeted. “Glad to hear you guys are ok.”
In a statement Monday afternoon, WHDH said it’s “unfortunate that Sunday’s peaceful protest turned violent. We are grateful that no one on our staff was injured.”
While the protests marking the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis were peaceful during the day Sunday, by late evening, as the city’s coronavirus curfew arrived, some of those who attended the rally shifted their attention toward commercial districts and trouble started.
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Seven Boston police officers were hospitalized with injuries, 40 protesters were under arrest, and 21 cruisers were damaged. MBTA Transit Police tweeted that some protesters tried to cause “extreme harm” to their officers and did cause damage to their cruisers.
Tim Logan, Janelle Nanos, Matt Rocheleau, Anissa Gardizy and John R. Ellement of the Globe Staff contributed to this report.
Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com.