WORCESTER—David Webb, the man who was allegedly spray-painted outside a Worcester City Council meeting last month, will be in Worcester District Court on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
Represented by attorney Hector E. Pineiro, Webb is asking to have his firearm license reinstated.
A local business owner and outspoken critic of Worcester’s handling of homelessness and other issues, Webb’s license was reportedly suspended in part because of his social media posts.
Webb, who owned and operated Hamilton Computer Repair until he sold it in June, is known for his pointed criticisms of city policies, frequently alleging racism and the lack of government accountability during city council meetings. He has publicly called out city departments, including the law department, and has been vocal about perceived inefficiencies in city budgeting and leadership.
According to a report by This Week in Worcester, Webb received written notice on March 26 that his license to carry firearms had been suspended. The notice, signed by Worcester Police Deputy Chief Sean Fleming, stated that Webb was deemed an “unsuitable candidate” following a review of an ongoing Worcester Police Department investigation.
Webb told This Week in Worcester that the WPD shared documents that indicated Webb owned 27 firearms, and another five with records discrepancies. Webb told TWIW that he owned 11 of the firearms listed, and another that wasn’t on the list, and that he transferred ownership of the 12 guns per the approved legal process.
Speaking to The Worcester Guardian, Webb commented, “I find it notable that Interim Chief Saucier considers harmful posts in the (now private) Worcester Police Union Facebook page covered by their First Amendment, while my posts can make me ‘unsuitable.’”
He added, “Most people don’t get rid of guns once they get them, so it’s pretty common for firearm enthusiasts to end up with many different guns because they’re slightly different, take a different caliber, or serve a particular function others don’t. You should see the holster drawers everyone inevitably ends up with.”
Webb was in the news last month after an alleged assault outside the Worcester City Council chambers. The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported that Webb was spray-painted during a confrontation involving John Piccolo, a local restaurant owner. The altercation took place as council members stood for the national anthem during a meeting.
Addressing the council during the public speaking portion of the meeting with spray paint still visible on his face and clothing, Webb opened with, “Sorry I’m shaking; John Piccolo just spray-painted my face out there,” and concluded his commentary with, “While I’m here, I’d love an explanation as to why that’s the first time I have seen cops without body cameras on in the past seven weeks.”
City Manager Eric D. Batista addressed the incident in a statement, clarifying that while it is not standard for detail officers to remain at City Hall during council meetings, route officers check in during their shifts. On the evening of the incident, officers were responding to a separate call at Worcester Common before the altercation and arrived at City Hall approximately four minutes after the fight was reported.
Webb disputed Batista’s account, telling the Guardian, “According to a public records request, there was no report created by the officers that left City Hall to create a report, as City Manager Batista claimed in his announcement the next day.”
Batista stated, “The safety, security, and well-being of all persons present inside City Hall, during City Council meetings, other public meetings, and regular business hours is not only a priority for my administration but a responsibility of the municipality. Violence and aggressive behavior of any kind toward any person inside City Hall and other public facilities is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
Webb characterized the attack to the Telegram & Gazette as “political violence” aimed at intimidating him and suppressing his activism. Police identified Piccolo as a suspect based on witness accounts and surveillance footage; Piccolo now faces charges of assault with a dangerous weapon.
“My public comment the night I was attacked addressed the Chamber of Commerce lying to us about Polar Park, as well as the city’s insufficient response to the significant increase in the unhoused population,” Webb explained. “My post about the ‘racist-convention’ that led to the attack did specifically address that there would be pro-police political candidates there. It’s disappointing but unsurprising the police haven’t even arrested my attacker.”
Webb’s Facebook commentary following the incident stated, “My assault is about larger issues — whether or not the Worcester government will be complicit in violence. Whether or not people will speak for humanity under duress.”
Reflecting on what he sees as broader systemic issues, Webb said, “The city cannot admit it has a problem because then it would have to deal with the shame and liability of decades of that problem. It’s much easier to justify violence than look in the mirror. Regardless of how they feel about my attack, people should recognize how differently the city would have handled this if anyone else did the exact same thing.”
