Eureka Street in Worcester erupted in chaos on Thursday morning as residents shouted and berated members of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for taking away a woman and the Worcester Police Department for arresting a young woman witnesses say was the woman’s daughter.
A baby was also with the two women, and it was unclear what happened to it as both women were arrested.
More than 30 people were at the scene following the arrests, including one Worcester City Councilor. Witnesses told MassLive about the two arrests near 31 Eureka St. No names were provided for the two women.
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Jill Phillips of Worcester said she was there at the scene. By 11 a.m., Phillips said ICE had already taken the woman into custody, and said she was placed in a van in the middle of the street.
Phillips said that the agents had ICE badges on their vests and that members of the ATF were on scene, too.
She told MassLive that she, along with a crowd of other people, asked ICE to show a warrant for the arrest. She said the agents replied, “We don’t have to show you anything.”
More than 30 people crowded Eureka Street after 11:30 a.m., shouting at the ICE agents for their actions.
At 11:15 a.m., Worcester Police Officers were called by ICE as people were surrounding the vehicle, according to Lt. J.L. Bossolt.
Witnesses told MassLive that the young woman believed to be the first woman’s daughter confronted ICE agents and followed their van.
Worcester Police Officers arrested the young woman, with officers pushing her down to the ground.
Bystanders yelled at the police, saying that they were assisting ICE in their efforts.
“All you needed to do was to have one of us hold her and contain her,” District 5 Councilor Etel Haxhiaj told Bossolt. “You didn’t have to take her. It’s use of force that is unnecessary.”
Bossolt told MassLive and residents that the police were not helping ICE arrest any individual and were called to “keep the peace.”
The scene was cleared after 12 p.m.
