The arrest of 108 at Emerson College in the pre-dawn hours had politicians taking shots at the police who warned the students pitching tents in a public way gave them no choice.

Social media video of the police sweep shows protesters being forcibly removed from the Boylston Place location around 2 a.m. Thursday, with some refusing to move in a scrum that also had protesters linking arms and chanting, “We keep us safe.”

Arrests were streamed live on some social media platforms as police moved in as community members had predicted because the college encampment is in an alley that leads to the state Transportation Building in downtown.

In total, Boston Police, receiving backup support from Massachusetts State Police, made 108 arrests during the escalation.

Four officers were injured, three “minor” and one with more serious injuries, according to department spokesman Sgt. Det. John Boyle. He told the Herald Thursday morning that no protesters had reported injuries.

Students throughout the day, however, told outlets that they didn’t walk away totally unscathed, with some suffering “open wounds” from zip ties.

City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, in a statement, condemned the police response, saying all students “have a right to feel safe” during protests.

“I caution against heavy-handed responses to protest,” she wrote. “While there are legitimate public safety concerns, the presence of tents alone does not transform a peaceful protest into an unpeaceful one.”

Councilor Ed Flynn issued his own statement, complementing Emerson College for showing “great restraint and professionalism during this time.”

“Emerson College provided the protesters more than enough time to respect the rules of the City of Boston,” he wrote. “After a period of time, and in the interest of public safety and accessibility, the protesters were removed and arrested in a professional manner by Boston Police.”

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