Rep. Katherine Clark’s child receives probation for police assault and may have the case dismissed.

Meet Jared ‘Riley’ Dowell, the brave transgender child of House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) who recently made headlines for her involvement in a protest event on the Boston Common. Dowell, a 23-year-old woman who uses she/her pronouns, was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and property damage after spray-painting the Parkman Bandstand Monument with powerful messages like “NO COP CITY” and “ACAB.”

While police attempted to arrest Dowell, a group of other demonstrators began to interfere and at least one officer was struck in the face, causing bleeding to his nose and mouth. But despite the charges, Dowell has been given a second chance to make things right.

On Wednesday, Boston Municipal Court Judge Steven Key handed Dowell a pretrial probation agreement that will allow for the charges against her to be dismissed upon completion of the probation period. As part of the agreement, Dowell has to write a letter of apology to the injured officer, complete 30 hours of community service, continue therapy, and stay away from the Boston Common.

This is a favorable outcome for Dowell, as it allows her to avoid prosecution and keep the case off her criminal record. And while the cost of cleaning the graffiti still needs to be determined, Dowell is committed to making things right and moving forward.

Dowell’s protest was part of a larger movement to stop the construction of a new police training facility in Atlanta, Georgia, which protesters have referred to as “Cop City.” The demonstrations have galvanized support in other cities throughout the country, and activists from Massachusetts and beyond are standing in solidarity with Dowell and her cause.

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