As teachers remain on strike in three communities on the North Shore of Massachusetts, the mayor of one has come under fire for a gesture.
Schools in Beverly, Gloucester and Marblehead have been closed all week with educators on the picket lines. Thursday night, Gloucester Mayor Greg Verga was caught on video giving the finger during a teacher protest.
Verga said Friday that he was flipping off one specific person — "not the crowd, and certainly not the teachers." — and that he regrets it.
"As I made my way up to the parking lot, a former public safety official approached my car window shouting at me," Verga said. "At this point, my frustrations got the best of me, and I responded to the nastiness being hurled at me as I was trying to make my way home to my frightened wife."
Verga said a "mob" later surrounded his home, leaving his family feeling threatened.
"As an elected official and a public figure, I signed up for this. But my wife and our family did not," he said. "I never expected to fear for the safety of my family in my own home from members of my own community."
The mayor called for the community to dial back the anger.
"We all need to do better to solve this crisis, and I intend to lead the way," Verga said. "This is not who we are as a community. Gloucester has always come together in a time of crisis. This is that time."
