Citing The Ride Fare Hikes, Protesters In Wheelchairs Block Street

Protesting the MBTA's planned fare increases for The Ride, several people in wheelchairs briefly blocked a Boston street and snarled traffic in front of the State House.

As the Associated Press reports:

Four of the five activists chained their wheelchairs together in the crosswalk on Beacon Street by the main entrance to the State House and were demanding to speak with Gov. Deval Patrick.

Police asked the protesters to move to the sidewalk, but the protesters refused. Police then cut the chains with bolt cutters. When a police wagon arrived to take away the protesters, they relented and moved to the sidewalk, the Boston Globe reports.

Earlier, the protesters had chanted, "We can't ride, you can't drive," according to BostInno.

According to the AP:

Officials asked the protesters if they would be willing to speak with a representative of the governor's office instead.

As WBUR's Beenish Ahmed reported last month, fares on the paratransit system for disabled riders are slated to rise from $2 to $4 in a newly created designated zone; a trip would cost $5 for service outside this service zone.