A councilor from the city of Worcester is expected to appear before the courts on Wednesday on charges linked to a protest and confrontation with federal immigration officials. District 5 Councilor Etel Haxhiaj, alongside an additional 30 protestors, staged a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents earlier this year.
The confrontation occurred on Eureka Street on May 8, during the arrest of Rosane Ferreira-De Oliveira, a 40-year-old Brazilian national. The footage, captured by the body cameras of Worcester police officers present at the time, depicts the tense situation that unfolded during the protest.
The video exhibits the moment when Councilor Haxhiaj approached the immigration officers shortly after they had taken charge of Ferreira-De Oliveira. Haxhiaj is seen reaching for Ferreira-De Oliveira’s arm and making a passionate plea to the ICE agents for her to not be detained.
In response to Councilor Haxhiaj’s action, two immigration agents removed her from Ferreira-De Oliveira. However, as the agents began transporting their detainee to a gold Ford SUV, Haxhiaj once more reached out to Ferreira-De Oliveira.
As seen in the footage, Officer Patrick Hanlon then intervened by grasping her hands, pulling her back and admonishing her to desist. In return, Haxhiaj shouted back at the officer, unyielding in her stance, and said, ‘I cannot stop!’
Subsequent footage from officer Shauna McGuirk’s body camera shows Councilor Haxhiaj and Ferreira-De Oliveria’s daughter, Augusta Clara Moura. Both of them are spotted next to the passenger side of the vehicle. Both the agents and Officer McGuirk are heard instructing them to step back from the vehicle.
Officer McGuirk is then shown grabbing Clara Moura’s arm while urging her to move away. Clara Moura, however, resolutely stares at her arm and rejects the order saying, ‘No, no, no, no.’ The officer upon hearing this releases her arm.
The situation continues to escalate further when an immigration officer warns both Haxhiaj and Clara Moura that they could potentially face charges for their actions. Councilor Haxhiaj, seeming puzzled, responds, ‘I don’t understand,’ and asserts her right to be present at the location in her role as a councilor for the district.
In further footage, Officer McGuirk is seen pulling Haxhiaj away from the vehicle by her back, resulting in a reaction from Haxhiaj of her hands pushing against her own body. An alarmed Haxhiaj is heard exclaiming, ‘Do not touch me!,’ while being moved away from the SUV.
Post the federal immigration operation, the police took action against Councilor Haxhiaj. Police Lt. John Bossolt initiated a criminal complaint against her and also requested a hearing to show cause on three separate charges against the councilor.
Councillor Haxhiaj was accused of two counts of assault and battery against a police officer and one count of obstruction of a police officer in the complaint submitted by Lt. Bossolt. The document states, ‘Haxhiaj pushed P.O. McGuirk in the chest,’ and, ‘Haxhiaj pulled P.O. McGuirk’s arm as she was making an arrest.’
By June 4, a formal criminal complaint was leveled against Councilor Haxhiaj. Her charges included a single misdemeanor of assault and battery on a police officer and one common law violation involving obstruction of a police officer, as per police records.
Councilor Haxhiaj, reacting to these allegations, said, ‘I am a mother, an immigrant, and an elected leader who attempted, along with other Worcester residents, to protect a traumatized young person, two mothers, and an infant.’ She added, ‘My actions were guided by basic human empathy in this situation, nothing more, nothing less.’
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