BOSTON — Smoke curled above Tremont Street and the charred shell of a Boston police cruiser stood as the city’s newest symbol of unrest. Hours after a mob of more than 100 people stormed the South End, throwing fireworks and blocking traffic, Governor Maura Healey took to social media promising that anyone who “targets police and destroys property” would be punished “to the fullest extent of the law.”

Let me be perfectly clear.

Anyone who targets police and destroys police property — or who comes to Massachusetts and engages in dangerous and destructive conduct — should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. https://t.co/69QoyfuBLs

— Governor Maura Healey (@MassGovernor) October 6, 2025

It was a strong statement from a governor who has long resisted talk of federal intervention. Healey has repeatedly dismissed Donald Trump’s proposal to deploy the National Guard in crime-plagued cities as “political theater,” and even after this weekend’s violence, she appears unwilling to change her stance.

But with a Boston police vehicle in ruins and videos of the takeover ricocheting across social media, questions linger. How much chaos can Massachusetts absorb before stronger measures are on the table? Is the state’s own law enforcement network stretched too thin to keep order?

Healey praised local officers for their quick response and pledged to hold the perpetrators accountable. Yet her refusal to consider federal assistance, even symbolically, highlights the political balancing act now confronting Beacon Hill — appear tough on crime without embracing the tactics she’s long criticized.

Police have arrested two teenagers in connection with the takeover, and more charges could follow as investigators review video evidence. For residents who watched the city light up in smoke and sparks, the images were both thrilling and terrifying — the kind of spectacle that leaves its mark.

For Healey, it’s a leadership test wrapped in optics. Can she maintain control without appearing to backtrack? And what happens if the next fire burns even hotter?

As the city cleans up and the politics play out, Boston’s question isn’t just who started the riot — it’s who’s really keeping order.