WORCESTER—District 5 Councilor Etel Haxhiaj announced Wednesday that she will temporarily attend City Council meetings virtually due to direct threats made against her and her family, some of which she described as sexual in nature.
“Everything has been reported to authorities, and I am thankful for their responsiveness,” Haxhiaj wrote in a statement posted to her Facebook and Instagram pages. She said she has informed Mayor and City Council Chair Joe Petty about her decision.
Haxhiaj, who was first elected in 2021 as the first Albanian-born and first Muslim American councilor in Worcester, has been at the center of contentious debates in recent weeks.
She has frequently aligned and championed Councilor Thu Nguyen, who took a hiatus from the council earlier this year after citing discrimination, and has spearheaded efforts such as declaring Worcester a sanctuary city for the trans community.
Haxhiaj noted that these threats come after several years of ongoing harassment and previous acts of vandalism targeting her. “I take my safety as a woman, mother and immigrant very seriously,” she wrote, adding that her work serving District 5 residents would continue “uninterrupted.”
“I remain steadfast in my solidarity with all communities under attack,” Haxhiaj said.
Authorities have not publicly commented on the nature of the threats or any ongoing investigation.
The Worcester Guardian has requested comment from Haxhiaj and will update this story if she responds. Check back for updates.
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