LONGMEADOW, Mass. — Deputies assigned to enforce an eviction in central Massachusetts said they were attacked by a woman armed with a swarm of bees. The deputies were enforcing the eviction at 49 Memery Lane in Longmeadow at 9:15 a.m. on Oct. 12 when a blue Nissan Xterra pulled up, Hampden County Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi said in a statement. The SUV was driven by Rorie Susan Woods, 55, of Hadley, the sheriff said.
Woods was towing manufactured bee hives behind her SUV. Photos provided by the sheriff's office show Woods struggling with a deputy.
"A Sheriff’s deputy tried to stop her, but as the agitated bees started getting out and circling the area, he pulled back," the sheriff wrote in a statement. "She then smashed the lid, and flipped a hive off of the flatbed, making the bees extremely aggressive. They swarmed the area and stung several officers and other innocent bystanders who were nearby."
Woods donned a beekeeper's suit and carried a tower of bees to the front door of the home, where she tried to further agitate the bees, Cocchi said. The sheriff said this was an attempt to stop the eviction process.
Photos provided by the sheriff's office show Woods was still wearing the beekeeper's suit when she was eventually arrested.
"This woman, who traveled here, put lives in danger as several of the staff on scene are allergic to bees," Cocchi said in a statement provided by his office. "We had one staff member go the hospital and luckily, he was alright or she would be facing manslaughter charges. I support people’s right to protest peacefully but when you cross the line and put my staff and the public in danger, I promise you will be arrested."
Woods is facing four counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, three counts of assault by means of a dangerous weapon and one count of disorderly conduct. She was booked at the Western Mass. Regional Women’s Correctional Facility.
We had one staff member go the hospital and luckily, he was alright
Sadge. You'll get them next time.
What. The. Heck?
No bee emotes? :alex-karma:
Ah well.. best I can do.
spoiler
:maduro-katana-1: : :bug-facts:
Use yellowjackets next time. They got a lot of fight in 'em.
Wasps are nasty but not as tenacious. Yellow jackets are from hell.
The deputies were enforcing the eviction at 49 Memery Lane
"Officers memed on, requesting backup"
she tried to further agitate the bees
AGITATE THE BEES
PROPAGANDIZE THE ANTS
ORGANIZE THE TERMITES
The Baffler : "Curiously, the vengeful beekeeper, who was arrested following the nigh-biblical assault, was not the person being evicted but rather some kind of roving spirit of justice who appears with an army of drones wherever the vulnerable are menaced by the powerful. It is high time that we enact solidarity with the insect kingdom and rise up with all things that pollinate and sting to mildly inconvenience our oppressors; the agents of division and hatred are nothing against the power of our love buzz."
I have no money but if we want the fight against landlords to succeed we need to bail people like her out of prison