The NAACP Worcester branch is calling for a formal investigation into ICE agents detaining a woman Thursday and Worcester Police Department arresting another woman during the same incident as dozens of neighbors attempted to intervene.
Fred Taylor Sr., president of the NAACP Worcester, was one of several Worcester and state leaders to speak on Friday about the incident. Taylor urged transparency about what transpired and promises that it won’t happen again.
“The Worcester police showed up yesterday with overwhelming numbers. That was totally uncalled for,” Taylor said. “Our local police is not tasked to protect ICE. They’re here to protect the people and they should behave that way.”
Khrystian King, vice chairman of the Worcester City Council, said that authenticity from elected leaders will be key to addressing the attack on communities of color.
“It’s not about what we say. It’s about what we do,” King said.
Ashley Spring, a candidate for Worcester School Committee, was arraigned in court Friday on several charges, including assault and battery on a police officer, after allegedly pushing officers and throwing an unknown liquid on them, NBC 10 reported. No information was available about the identity of the woman detained by ICE.
“We know that she was ripped from her family. We don’t know where she is, her family don’t know where she is,” King said. “I think we know enough.”
Spring was arrested among a crowd of people trying to stop the ICE arrests. Worcester Police Department said in a statement that the crowd “was unruly, and several people were putting their hands on federal agents and Worcester officers in an attempt to keep the vehicle and the arrestee from leaving.”
Deborah Hall, CEO of YWCA, said it’s up to Worcester to double down on protecting its community.
“This is about more than one incident,” Hall said. “This is about the values of a city that prides itself on being inclusive, compassionate and just. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to building a community that cares for and protects all of its citizens — regardless of where they come from or what language they speak.
Mary Sacksteder, a Worcester resident and member of Indivisible Worcester, told GBH News she is indignant about what happened on Thursday.
She volunteers with youth at the YWCA and had tears in her eyes when thinking about what the children involved in Thursday’s raid had to endure.
“We have to admit we’re no longer a democracy and respond in that vein,” Sacksteder said. As activists, “we’ve got to quit being nice.”
Gov. Maura Healey addressed the Worcester ICE raid on GBH’s Boston Public Radio Friday. She called the incident “disturbing,” while also saying that it would be best not to rush judgement on the situation.
“There was a big crowd there and eventually Worcester PD was called to it to help address what was going on, and some in the crowd moved on law enforcement,” Healey said. “You cannot move on police.”
Healey said that Massachusetts’ law is clear that police aren’t allowed to assist ICE when it comes to apprehending and detaining people for immigrant enforcement reasons.
But assisting ICE and crowd control are “two different things,” she said. “And what I understand about yesterday is that Worcester PD was called to the scene in response because there was a big crowd and then things went from there.”
The police response “didn’t have anything to do with what ICE was doing,” she added.
