WORCESTER—Worcester’s City Council met behind screens and security concerns Tuesday night, as fallout continued from a controversial May 8 incident on Eureka Street, where a woman was detained by alleged ICE agents and her teenage daughter arrested by city police.
While the council’s virtual format was attributed to threats against city officials and staff, it also meant residents could only participate via Zoom—fueling more criticism of how the city is handling what many called an unlawful, traumatizing event.
Petty: “People just want to live here and be safe”
Mayor Joe Petty offered strong words for the federal agents involved.
“I take pride in Worcester being a welcoming city, but what ICE did has changed all of that,” Petty said. “People are scared and they made people even more scared. People just want to live here in Worcester and be safe, and they show up in masks. They divided this community. We’ve got to work and stick together as a community.”
Petty also addressed the broader national politics and constitutional concerns at play.
“People have the right to due process,” he added. “That right is enshrined in our 14th Amendment of the Constitution, in the rights we hold so dear, as American values. While I don’t want criminals running our streets, everyone deserves their day in court.”
He defended Worcester police officers who were present at the scene, stating they were not assisting ICE but responding to the “chaotic” situation as it unfolded.
“They were not called to assist ICE,” said Petty. “The Worcester police cannot prohibit them from doing their jobs. Assisting ICE and crowd control are two different things. From what I understand about the incident is that Worcester police were called to the scene in response to a big crowd, and things went on from there.”
Still, the mayor called for clear policies on how local agencies interact with federal immigration authorities.
“We need to have a policy and protocols on how we interact with ICE, when they’re here, so… the public knows what the responsibilities of the Worcester PD are, and elected officials and the community.”
Councilor King pushes back on closed meeting, seeks action
Vice-chair Khrystian King, who said he has endured racist slurs and threats since the Eureka Street incident, spoke out against the decision to hold a virtual-only meeting.
“I think that sends the wrong message,” King remarked. “I think that’s a weak move, and I think it’s weak leadership.”
King called for a full report on the city’s response to the incident, including body camera footage, and introduced several motions: that a social worker be dispatched during future ICE activity involving families, and that WPD officers verify ICE agents’ identities and warrants before cooperating.
“Also, they should attempt to determine if the warrant of the person they are seeking is actually the person they are taking away,” he said, warning of potential impersonators. “These intimidating acts were unjust and need oversight.”
He reiterated his call for a civilian review board and requested legal review of the city’s liability related to the incident.
Residents: “What happened was a crime”
Speaker after speaker during public comment demanded accountability from city leaders and local police. Some described the May 8 action as nothing short of kidnapping.
“What happened on Eureka Street was a crime, and police should have been called,” said Carla Markham. “They should have been called to protect the woman who was being kidnapped.”
Markham urged the council to side with residents.
“There is no violence here. You have nothing to fear from these people,” she said. “We want you to join us. Join our side… You have the opportunity to tip the scales one way or the other.”
Others called on the council to sever all cooperation between local police and ICE.
“We have to get rid of police cooperation with ICE,” said Judy Ryan. “We have to stand now, because if we don’t, we are headed toward a fascist state.”
Resident Källan Berglund didn’t mince words in their call to action: “I call upon you to ban ICE from our city, ban police from collaborating with these abductors, release, with clean records, all present and future community heroes who stand up for our neighbors in the face of oppression and abuse of power.”
Clark University student Marcus Palumbo framed WPD’s role as a missed opportunity.
“The duty of policing is to enforce the law, whether it’s being broken by regular people, rich CEOs or even other police officers,” he said. “This should extend to ICE as well. If ICE is trying to illegally detain someone, it should be the job of the WPD to stop them from breaking the law.”
Next steps unclear
For now, the conversation is paused. All motions and discussions were tabled until the council’s next meeting.
Steve Smith, a veteran reporter with 17 years at The Hartford Courant, now brings his passion for photojournalism to Worcester. An award-winning photographer, he has covered major events like U.S. soccer, pro football, and UConn basketball. He is also the official photographer for the Miss Massachusetts competition and works as a realtor. Contact him at steve@stevephotographysmith.com
