The Worcester Police Patrol Officers’ Union is looking for an ethics investigation into Metropolis Councilor Etel Haxhiaj following a chaotic incident throughout an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation final Thursday.
The union alleges that Haxhiaj incited a crowd and assaulted each native and federal legislation enforcement officers trying to detain Ferreira de Oliveira, an unlawful immigrant accused of violent crimes, together with assault with a harmful weapon and assault on a pregnant girl, Boston 25 Information reported.
In keeping with reviews, roughly 25 people gathered in a Worcester neighborhood to protest the arrest and tried to dam the unmarked ICE car. Haxhiaj is accused of taking part within the protest and bodily confronting officers on the scene.
Extra from FOX 11:
Immigrant advocates informed Boston.com it began when neighbors noticed federal brokers interacting with a Brazilian mom who was together with her 16-year-old daughter and a new child child. Native reviews say the household had been focused by ICE and the daddy was detained a day earlier.
Neighbors fashioned a circle across the household to try to forestall ICE from detaining them as others chanted, “Don’t take the mom!” and “They don’t have a warrant!”
When police arrived, federal brokers had already handcuffed the mom and positioned her at the back of a car. The brokers had been making an attempt to depart, however the “crowd was unruly” and other people had been placing their fingers on federal brokers, police stated.
The detained mom’s 16-year-old daughter was holding a new child child and standing in entrance of the ICE car. When officers informed her she was endangering the child, she handed the toddler to another person after which went after the SUV. Police stated she kicked the car, and officers believed she was going to attempt to bounce in entrance of it.
The 16-year-old was arrested for reckless endangerment of a kid, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Video from NBC Boston exhibits the teenager briefly escape from police, as officers chase her and slam her face on the bottom. The toddler was not injured, and immigrant advocates say the child’s mom was not detained.
WATCH:
OBSTRUCTION? Prolonged model of Worcester Metropolis Councilor Haxhiaj holding the fingers of “violent prison unlawful alien” round her waist to stop ICE arrest Thurs from now deleted IG submit. The unlawful, Ferreira de Oliveira going through expenses of A&B on a pregnant girl. #mapoli pic.twitter.com/u78Qe2ZGZf
— JohnFGately (@johnfgately) Could 11, 2025
Full assertion from the police union:
“On Thursday, Could 8, 2025, at roughly 11:15 am, the Worcester Police had been dispatched to Eureka Avenue for a name that got here in for federal legislation enforcement officers needing help as a consequence of a hostile and uncooperative crowd surrounding them.
Officers arriving on scene continued to name for extra officers because the scene continued to escalate quickly. Cops reply to quite a lot of extremely emotional calls each day and there may be nothing that may be extra emotional or tough to cope with than a name that entails instances when households are separated or arrested or taken into custody in entrance of different relations.
A majority of these requires help could be extraordinarily harmful and place officers at a excessive threat of damage because of the excessive feelings folks really feel on the time. Our officers all the time attempt to be as compassionate as we will each day. We as fathers, moms, brothers and sisters perceive human feelings and attempt to be as empathetic as we will whereas nonetheless doing the job we’re required to do each day.
Right here, all obtainable Worcester cops had been dispatched to Eureka Avenue to guard the general public and make sure the security of federal and Worcester cops on scene.
For apparent causes, officers grew to become involved for his or her security and that of the federal brokers based mostly on the actions of the group. They tried to deescalate the state of affairs and forestall damage to all current.
Regardless of these efforts, Worcester cops and federal brokers had been threatened, abused and even assaulted on scene. Such conduct can’t be tolerated or condoned.
As a result of some protesters threatened officers’ security, police needed to make extra arrests. Of explicit concern on this case, one among our elected coverage makers and somebody who has created this tough job for the police, District 5 Metropolis Councilor, Etel Haxhiaj, incited aggression in direction of the police in the course of the incident.
This councilor participated within the conduct of the unruly crowd and ultimately assaulted each Worcester police and federal legislation enforcement officers on scene. Her habits additionally emboldened others to behave on this method.
The conduct of this anti-police activist councilor is deplorable and unacceptable. No matter political beliefs or views, metropolis officers ought to by no means condone the assault of an officer and flat-out disregard to the purpose of violent opposition, the authority of police to keep up security and public order.
The Worcester Police Patrolman’s Union Native 911 won’t stand silently within the face of such outrageous conduct or enable the security of our officers to be put in danger by any particular person.
Any official, notably a sitting councilor, who acts in such a fashion is, within the opinions of these of us ordered to maintain the peace throughout such hostilities, unfit to serve.
This councilor’s egregious actions weren’t restricted to bodily interference, as she tried to make use of her official place a number of instances to intervene with the police on scene. Any such conduct is managed by the state’s moral legal guidelines and our personal metropolis constitution. Councilor Haxhiaj, in our opinion, broke her oath and these moral legal guidelines, and in doing so put the security of our officers and our residents at nice threat.
The members of the Worcester Police Patrolman’s Union Native 911 condemn this councilor’s disrespectful and harmful habits.
We are going to take the required steps to carry her and anybody who assaults our officers accountable and name upon these state and native coverage makers to do the identical. We demand that the town conduct an ethics investigation into her conduct.
Little question, federal authorities can even assessment the incident and decide whether or not federal expenses could also be coming for these concerned. Nobody has the precise to behave in such a reckless method in direction of cops, and we demand accountability for all prison and ethically deplorable habits.”
The Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) additionally criticized Haxhiaj’s conduct, stating she “pulled a political stunt and incited chaos by making an attempt to impede legislation enforcement.”
“ICE officers and native police regained management of the state of affairs and ICE arrested Ferreira de Oliveira. The earlier administration’s open border insurance policies allowed this prison to illegally enter our nation in August of 2022. Because of President Trump and Secretary Noem this prison is off our streets.” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated.
“Mother and father, who’re right here illegally, can take management of their departure. By the CBP Dwelling App— the Trump Administration is giving dad and mom illegally within the nation an opportunity to take full management of their departure and self-deport, with the potential potential to return the authorized, proper approach and are available again to reside the American dream.”
