Worcester councilor who confronted ICE to seek dismissal of charges Thursday
A hearing to dismiss charges against a Worcester city councilor who confronted officers during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest is set for Thursday morning.
District 5 Councilor Etel Haxhiaj was charged on June 4 with one misdemeanor count of assault and battery on a police officer and one common law violation for interfering with a police officer.
The charges stem against Haxhiaj's actions on May 8, where she confronted and protested Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Eureka Street in Worcester. The agents were arresting 40-year-old Rosane Ferreira-De Oliveira, a Brazilian mother of three.
Haxhiaj, who is also running for re-election seeks to dismiss the charges, with the hearing taking place at 9 a.m. on Thursday.
The councilor was one of many people who confronted and protested ICE agents during their arrest of Ferreira-De Oliveira on Eureka Street on May 8.
Police body camera footage released by the city featured video of councilor grabbing the 40-year-old's arm and pleading with the agents not to take her. Two of the ICE agents then flung Haxhiaj off of Ferreira-De Oliveira, as seen in the footage.
Video from Officer Shauna McGuirk's body camera showed Haxhiaj and Ferreira-De Oliveira's daughter, Augusta Clara Moura, standing next a gold SUV. Ferreira-De Oliveira was placed inside of the vehicle by ICE agents during the arrest.
In the footage the agents and McGuirk tell both Haxhiaj and Clara Moura to move away from the SUV.
McGuirk then grabbed Clara Moura's arm, telling her she needed to "come on." Clara Moura looked down at her arm and responded, "No, no, no, no."
The officer released her arm and an agent then warned Clara Moura and Haxhiaj that they both could be charged for their actions
"I don't understand," Haxhiaj said and told McGuirk that she had the right to be there as a district councilor. Eureka Street is part of Worcester's District 5.
McGuirk then pulled Haxhiaj away from the vehicle by her back, and Haxhiaj pushed against the officer's body.
"Do not touch me!" Haxhiaj yelled as she was pulled away from the SUV.
Just four days after the ICE operation, Worcester police filed a criminal complaint against Haxhiaj.
Bossolt requested a show-cause hearing on three charges against Haxhiaj, according to the application. Bossolt requested that the councilor be charged with two counts of assault and battery on a police officer and one count of interfering with a police officer.
"Haxhiaj pushed P.O. McGuirk in the chest," the filing reads. "Haxhiaj pulled P.O. McGuirk's arm as she was making an arrest."
On July 23, Haxhiaj appeared in court, entered a not guilty plea and was released on her own personal recognizance.
A group of supporters met Haxhiaj as she left the court that day.
"I am resolute and unapologetic in maintaining my innocence," Haxhiaj told the crowd. "The overwhelming number of Worcester residents and Americans across the country are opposed to armed masked men snatching our people off the streets and neighborhoods, terrifying mothers, children, fathers, families and whole communities."
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