Swampscott

Protesters Call for Eviction Moratorium Extension Outside Baker's Home as Governor Responds to Break-in

The protests outside Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker's Swampscott home comes a week after a Danvers man was arrested for breaking in

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Dozens of protesters made their voices heard on Massachusetts' eviction moratorium Wednesday evening outside Gov. Charlie Baker's home, despite heightened security since it was broken into last week.

The protesters gathered both outside the governor's Swampscott home and nearby to call on Baker to extend the moratorium on evictions amid the coronavirus pandemic. The moratorium ends Oct. 17 and could force many people out of their homes.

The protests came a week after a Danvers man allegedly drove into the driveway of the governor's home around 2:35 p.m. on Oct. 7 before walking through an unlocked side door and leaving behind a manila envelope with documents and photos, according to court documents. Both Baker's wife and daughter were home at the time.

The man, Lane Forman, who is known to police, was spotted by a state trooper and approached, the court documents said.

Forman allegedly responded by saying, “DON’T F----WITH ME CHARLIE TOLD ME TO DROP THIS OFF,” according to the documents.

When asked about the incident during a news conference Wednesday, the governor did not have much to say.

"Everybody's safe. That's the only thing that really matters and that's all I'm going to say about it," Baker said.

Residents in Baker's neighborhood are wondering how the incident could have happened considering the governor's security.

"There's always a trooper there. I don't know what to say. The fact that it happens in the middle of the afternoon," one neighbor said.

Due to security reasons, Massachusetts State Police said they won't comment on the break-in.

Meanwhile, neighbors are a bit uneasy between the break-in and all of the protests.

Baker's home has been the site of repeated protests in months. Neighbors say all the activity has them wishing things would quiet down.

"I don't think it's fair to do it in a neighborhood," Stuart Goldman said of the protests outside the home. "It should all be done at the state house, and I think it's very disruptive and not really fair to the people who just want to go out and walk their dog."

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