‘My baby!’: Newly released body cam video shows new insight into Worcester ICE arrest
The City of Worcester is continuing to release more body camera footage from officers who were present at the chaotic Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest on May 8 at Eureka Street.
On May 16, eight days after the incident, the city released body camera footage from three officers who were called to Eureka Street, where ICE arrested Rosane Ferreira-De Oliveira of Brazil.
New body camera footage from 10 other officers who were present on Eureka Street was posted to the city's YouTube page on June 4, June 26 and July 17.
The city previously announced that it would release additional footage on a rolling basis.
The video batches provide new angles of the incident, with more than 30 people shouting and confronting police officers and ICE agents at the scene.
Footage from officers shows the protesters standing by a gold SUV where Ferreira-De Oliveira was placed by ICE agents. Several protesters can be heard chanting "don't take the mother" while others ask ICE to show a warrant for the arrest.
Among those protesting was District 5 Councilor Etel Haxhiaj.
In footage from Officer Joseph Atchue's body camera, Haxhiaj can be seen approaching the SUV at the 1:27 mark. A federal agent then grabs her arm and moves her away from the car.
Haxhiaj was charged with one misdemeanor count of assault and battery on a police officer and one common law violation for interfering with a police officer.
She entered a not guilty plea in Worcester District Court on July 24 and was released on her own personal recognizance. A motion to dismiss hearing for her case is set for Sept. 15.
Ferreira-De Oliveira's daughters, Augusta Clara Moura and an unnamed teenager, witnessed their mother being arrested that day.
At the 8:55 minute mark of Atchue's footage, the teenager can be seen running up to a gold SUV leaving the area. ICE agents had previously placed Ferreira-De Oliveira inside the vehicle. The daughter runs up to the vehicle and appears to reach out to it on the passenger side door. A Worcester Police Officer and a masked man wearing a vest that reads "Police ICE" on it move her away from the SUV, with someone yelling at the girl, "you're going to get injured!"
The girl then runs to the sidewalk, yelling, "don't touch me!"
At the 9:18 mark in Atchue's footage, the daughter is surrounded by several officers as she is placed under arrest.
In separate footage from Officer Timothy Watts' camera, Augusta Clara Moura can be seen running to the arrest of her sister. At the six-minute mark, the adult daughter of Ferreira-De Oliveira can be seen screaming with her infant son in her arms. Yelling no, she reaches out an arm near the scene. The officer wearing the body camera appears to touch her arm. She then suddenly shouts "my baby" while pointing a finger at the officer who touched her arm.
As this is happening, another officer can be seen moving Clara Moura away from the arrest by putting their arms around her stomach and moving her out of the way. Bystanders can be heard yelling, "don't touch the baby!"
It is not clear whether the officer touched the baby.
Clara Moura and her son have since moved back to Brazil to be with her partner, Samarone Alves Ferreira-De Souza. Ferreira-De Souza's lawyer said that ICE signed a document authorizing his deportation in his name without his permission.
Chief of Police Paul Saucier announced on May 16 that the WPD requested the judge to dismiss the case against Ferreira-De Oliveira's daughter. It is not known whether the charges have been dismissed as of Monday.
Footage from Officer Taylor Boucher shows the arrest of Ashley Spring, a disqualified school committee candidate who sprayed water from a baby bottle at an officer during the arrest of the teenager.
The footage from Boucher shows Spring being handcuffed by officers. Boucher can be seen questioning Spring for their name and birthdate.
Spring, who uses they/them pronouns, was charged on May 9 with a felony of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, which was in reality the baby bottle with water inside.
Spring was also charged with a misdemeanor charge of assault and battery on a police officer, as well as disorderly conduct and interfering with police officers — charges that remain in effect.
On July 23, the prosecution, represented by the Northwest District Attorney's office, put forward a motion in Worcester District Court to dismiss the dangerous weapon charge, saying it did not believe it could prove it. After consulting with Spring's attorney, Carl Williams, Judge Jennifer Ginsburg agreed to drop the charge .
A motion to dismiss hearing was set for Sept. 25.
In their initial report, the Worcester Police Department wrote that Spring directly pointed and sprayed an " unknown liquid " at police officers as they were arresting the daughter of the detained Brazilian mother.
In footage from body cameras worn by police officers at the scene, however, Officer Juan Vallejo stated that the liquid was, in fact, water .
The videos can be found on the City of Worcester's YouTube page.
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