5 teens arrested after woman attacked in Downtown Crossing

Five teens were arrested Monday night after being accused of attacking a college-aged woman in Downtown Crossing because of her hairstyle.

The college-aged woman told police she was at the intersection of Winter and Washington streets when she heard a group of teenagers saying she was a “white [expletive] with braids.” When she attempted to tell the group she identified as Hispanic, one girl allegedly pulled her hair as the others began to punch and kick her, according to reporting by The Boston Globe.

Boston Police responded at around 7 p.m. Monday night after someone reported a group of 10 to 15 girls attacking two women at the intersection.

A partially redacted police report said when the officers arrived at the scene they saw a group of around 20 teenagers in the area.

As police spoke to the woman who was assaulted a witness provided a video of the attack. The report said the video showed five people who appeared to be teenagers repeatedly kicking and punching the woman.

Police saw a large bump forming above the victim’s right eye, and she approached officers “in distress and highly animated,” according to the report. Officers initiated an arrest when they saw the suspected attackers up the street yelling after speaking with the two women.

One teenage girl allegedly attempted to get two suspects out of the police cruiser and punched an officer in the face. “What you wanna do? What you wanna do?” she allegedly said.

Other teenagers allegedly spit in an officer’s face, another kicked an officer’s shins, and another allegedly ripped a bun out of an officer’s hair.

The woman who was attacked was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital.

A Boston Police spokesperson said the Civil Rights Unit had been alerted when asked if the attack was racially motivated.