Predominantly Black running club files suit against B.A.A, alleging discrimination

A Black-led running club has filed a lawsuit against Boston Marathon organizers and the Newton Police Department over alleged racial discrimination that took place during last year's race.

TrailblazHers Run Co. says its members had set up around mile 21 in Newton along the sidelines of the course with another predominantly Black running club, Pioneers Run Crew, and other runners of color to watch the marathon.

The group alleges that during the race, Newton police officers "formed a human barricade separating them from the course." Additional officers on motorcycles were stationed behind the group, according to a statement from Lawyers for Civil Rights, which is representing the running group.

Video from last year's encounter shows a group of about 10 police officers on bicycles lined up along the road, standing between the cheering group and the runners on the course.

Lawyers for Civil Rights said in its statement that the group wants to prevent further discrimination and "seeks redress for emotional distress and trauma caused by last year’s racial profiling incident."

Newton police said in 2023 they had received three notices from the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.), the race's organizers, claiming spectators from their cheering section had crossed rope barriers into the race route. The group said, however, that white spectators "who engaged in the same celebratory activities — considered standard for Marathon Day — received no BAA or police response."

Following a 2023 meeting with the TrailblazHers and Pioneers Run Crew after the encounter, B.A.A president and CEO Jack Fleming released a statement saying, in part, that the organization "did not deliver on our promise to make it a great day for everyone."

Fleming concluded by writing, “We could not do it without the first responders and law enforcement agencies across 26.2 miles that is necessary at an event of this scale. We ask for everyone’s support as we move forward to improve the event for generations to come.”

The new lawsuit follows a report that Fleming and the B.A.A privately apologized to a group of police chiefs for how the organization responded to the 2023 claims. The Boston Globe reported in March that Westwood Police Chief Jeffrey Silva, president of a consortium of police departments called the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council, told Fleming his officers would not help with this year's race unless the B.A.A. apologized for their statement.

Frances Ramirez, founder of TrailblazHers, said in a statement Fleming's apology to the police group was "completely backwards,” saying race organizers "should be apologizing to us — the spectators of color who were racially profiled and harassed."

In response to WBUR's questions about the lawsuit, a B.A.A spokesperson said the organization is "confident that the B.A.A. and our partners are prepared for a Boston Marathon that is welcoming to the 30,000 participants, spectators and eight cities and towns along the route." The B.A.A spokesperson said they had not yet reviewed the suit.

With reporting from WBUR's Ally Jarmanning.