Crime
Authorities say a 31-year-old Newton man is expected to survive after he was shot during a violent clash at a pro-Israel demonstration. He is also facing charges.
A Framingham man pleaded not guilty Friday to a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon after he was accused of shooting someone during a violent clash at a small pro-Israel demonstration in Newton.
Scott Hayes, 47, was arrested Thursday evening following the incident near Washington and Harvard streets in Newtonville. Hayes was demonstrating with a small group when another man — identified only as a 31-year-old Newton resident — began shouting comments at the demonstrators from across the street, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and acting Newton Police Chief George McMains.
A “verbal exchange” ensued, and the Newton man ran across the street and tackled Hayes to the ground, Ryan and McMains said in a news release. Hayes allegedly shot the man during the altercation.
Video posted to social media captured part of Thursday’s incident, and a man can be seen shouting at the demonstrators from across the street, accusing them of defending genocide. After someone from the pro-Israel group called the man stupid, the video cuts to the man sprinting across the street to tackle Hayes. A physical altercation ensues, and someone in the video can be heard saying, “grab my pistol.”
Authorities previously said the man who was shot suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital. As of Friday afternoon, he was expected to survive.
Newton police have also applied for a criminal complaint for assault and battery charges against the 31-year-old, according to Ryan and McMains. A clerk magistrate’s hearing will determine whether probable cause exists for prosecutors to pursue charges, as the alleged assault did not occur in the presence of a police officer.
Hayes appeared in Newton District Court Friday afternoon with visible scrapes on his face. A judge set his bail at $5,000 cash and ordered him to stay away from Newton and the person he allegedly shot. Hayes was also given a home confinement curfew from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. and had his license to carry suspended. A defense attorney for Hayes did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Addressing the court, Assistant District Attorney Laura Miller described the case as an “evolving situation.”
“We were continuing to assess the evidence as it relates to the entire situation, especially as video was being gathered and witnesses interviewed,” Miller said.
Earlier on Friday, the Anti-Defamation League’s New England chapter raised concerns about the timing of Hayes’s charges.
“Reports that charges were immediately filed prior to completion of the investigation are concerning,” ADL New England wrote in a statement on X. “Protests should not subject anyone to violence. We encourage Newton Police and the Middlesex District Attorney to conduct a thorough investigation of the entire incident.”
According to a Facebook event for the demonstration, Hayes was one of the hosts of the “Newton Solidarity Standout.” His social media feed on X shows a variety of posts advertising pro-Israel demonstrations around Massachusetts and speaking out against alleged antisemitism in light of Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.
In one post from May, first flagged by Brookline.News, Hayes shared a picture of a firearm with the caption, “Hey Jew haters. Bring it.” The news outlet reported in June that Hayes had organized pro-Israel rallies across the Boston area in recent months.
A GoFundMe page to support Hayes had raised more than $133,000 as of late Friday afternoon. The fundraiser described Hayes as an Iraq War veteran.
“Even though Scott is not Jewish he has been defending the Jewish people and its right for self determination and governance all across Boston, its surroundings and all around New England and the US,” the description reads. “He now needs help as this turmoil entered his life.”
Hayes is due back in court on Nov. 7.
In a Friday newsletter, Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller expressed gratitude for first responders’ quick action and prosecutors’ “careful decision making.” She also urged civility following Thursday’s “frightening and disturbing incident.”
“I encourage all of us to be calm, speak civilly, and act respectfully,” Fuller wrote.
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