WORCESTER — Worcester City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj, who is accused of assaulting and interfering with police officers in May, said after facing a judge Wednesday that she’s “resolute and unapologetic” in proclaiming her innocence.
Haxhiaj, 45, is charged with assault and battery on a police officer and interfering with police. The charges stem from a May 8 incident on Eureka Terrace when chaos erupted and police officers were assaulted when federal agents detained a Brazilian woman.
Wearing a red jacket, black top and white pants, Haxhiaj stood by her attorney during her arraignment in Worcester District Court on Wednesday morning.
A judge released her on personal recognizance after a not guilty plea was entered on her behalf. A prosecutor did not request bail.
Minutes later, Haxhiaj’s supporters greeted her with cheers as she walked out of the courthouse, according to video shared by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.
“I am resolute and unapologetic in maintaining my innocence,” Haxhiaj said to a small crowd of her supporters as they cheered.
Haxhiaj then called federal law enforcement officers “armed masked men,” months after she criticized ICE operations during a press conference held on May 9, the day after the incident.
“The overwhelming number of Worcester residents and Americans across the country are opposed to armed masked men snatching our people off our streets and neighborhoods, terrifying mothers, children, fathers, families and whole communities,” Haxhiaj said Wednesday after her arraignment.
“And while it is disappointing and disheartening to invest time, effort and resources fighting these charges, it is absolutely nothing compared to Worcester families living in fear of being torn apart,” she said.
“Worcester families belong together,” Haxhiaj said. “And I will always, now and forever stand up and stand by our immigrant brothers and sisters, our neighbors who are facing a horrific regime.”
On May 9, Worcester’s police union called for city officials to conduct an ethics investigation into Haxhiaj, accusing her of using her elected position to incite aggression towards police officers.
“Of particular concern in this case, one of our elected policy makers and someone who has created this difficult task for the police, District 5 City Councilor, Etel Haxhiaj, incited aggression towards the police during the incident,” Worcester Police Patrol Officers’ Union Local 911 President Thomas Duffy said in a statement in May shortly after the incident.
“This councilor participated in the conduct of the unruly crowd and eventually assaulted both Worcester police and federal law enforcement officers on scene,” Duffy said at the time.
Body camera footage later released by the city of the Eureka Street incident captured Haxhiaj and others confronting and shouting angrily at the officers and grabbing and pushing the officers.
A link to the full body camera video can be found here.
Ashley Spring, a Worcester School Committee candidate on the November ballot, was among those arrested after the incident, however the charge against her has since been dropped.
The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported that a judge on Wednesday dropped the charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon against Spring, after accepting a motion for the dismissal by a prosecutor who said he couldn’t find probable cause in her case.
Worcester Police said officers responded to Eureka Street around 11:15 a.m. on May 8 after receiving reports of 25 people surrounding a federal agent.
A crowd surrounded and assaulted police officers trying to detain Brazilian national Rosane Ferreira de Oliveira, 40, who is in the country illegally, officials said at the time.
In May, after the Worcester incident, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons and U.S. Attorney Leah Foley decried local attempts to obstruct ICE operations.
“This conduct poses significant public and officer safety risks. It is conduct that should be vilified rather than glorified,” Foley said in May.
“I will not stand idly by if any public official, public safety officer, organization or private citizen acts in a manner that criminally obstructs or impedes ICE operations,” Foley said.
Haxhiaj is due back in court on Sept. 15 for a motion to dismiss the charges.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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