Good Trouble Lives On -- nationwide rally

Please come to our "de-brief" about the "Good Trouble Lives On" rally, on Thursday July 31 at 6 PM at The Well (restaurant), 55 Mazzeo Drive, Randolph MA.

Please come to share your thoughts about the rally itself, or about the police intervention that the rally-goers witnessed, or about how future rallies might learn from this experience.

See my letter below about my thoughts about the rally. I cited this letter (and discussed the July 17 rally) on RCTV at the Town Council meeting of July 28 (which was the first Town Council meeting after the rally). The Police Chief responded that this commendation will be included in all three officers' files.

To: Police Chief Marag

July 28, 2025

RPD, 41 South Main Street, Randolph, MA 02368

Dear Chief Marag,

I'm writing with regards to the Randolph Police response to Stetson Hall in the evening on July 17. I write to commend the officers involved for their masterful application of de-escalation in a very public setting.

I attended the "Good Trouble Lives On" event that night. It was Randolph's part in a nationwide rally honoring civil rights leader John Lewis. About 50 to 100 people attended, many bringing home-made signs expressing pro-civil rights and pro-immigrant views. Most drivers honked in support, but occasionally a pedestrian passerby or driver gave us "the finger." Those "counter-protestors" did prompt replies, but no behavior on either side warranted police intervention.

One counter-protestor appeared on foot, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with "I support ICE," which he showed to anyone willing to engage. Many of the rally-goers did engage; some got angry; the counter-protestor started yelling repeatedly that he felt physically threatened. Someone called the Randolph Police. The rally organizers were attempting to get the rally-goers to disengage, unsuccessfully, as the police arrived.

Lieutenant Gabe Pantazelos engaged with the counter-protestor immediately, with Officer Stephen Morse and Officer Vincent Burton quietly standing by. Lt. Pantazelos spoke calmly with the counter-protestor for several minutes. At first the counter-protestor continued yelling about feeling physically threatened, but calmed down as Lt. Pantazelos listened and thoughtfully responded. There was a conversation; the counter-protestor was not threatened with arrest, nor even asked to leave. Afterwards he stayed at the rally, but was much less escalated.

To the many rally-goers watching, the police arrived to an escalated scene. Five minutes later the situation was fully de-escalated. I'm aware how Randolph's police officers are taught to seek de-escalation. I attended, with other Town Councilors, a de-escalation training session last year. But this was the first time I have seen de-escalation in action, and I'm sure that was the case for most of the rally-goers.

Seeking to de-escalate difficult situations appears to be the typical initial effort of our town's police officers. The rally attendees will remember this event as the model for how the RPD is capable of handling such situations. I myself will cite this example of de-escalation as the best option for resolving so many difficult problems in police-community relations.

I commend the officers involved, and I commend the Randolph Police Department's devotion to de-escalation.

Sincerely,

Randolph Town Councilor Jesse Gordon

52 West Street, Randolph MA 02368

jgordon@randolph-ma.gov

(617) 320-6989