WORCESTER, MASS. (WHDH) - It was a chaotic scene on Eureka Street in Worcester that landed a Worcester school committee candidate in court Friday morning.
Ashley Spring, 38, had no comment after pleading not guilty to several charges including interfering with a police officer.
The arrest followed after tense moments Thursday morning when ICE agents took a woman into custody, placing her in an unmarked curiser.
Police say a crowd converged on the street and began surrounding agents, trying to block the car from leaving.
Worcester police officers responded, and that’s when a juvenile, who’d been holding a four month old baby, and Spring were both arrested.
Governor Maura Healey spoke out about the incident.
“I need to learn more about it, I don’t know what happened there,” said Healey. “I will say that I did see some video coverage of it, and it was disturbing, the images of it. The mother and the young woman. That’s it, I need to know more about it.”
By Friday afternoon, community leaders in Worcester were gathering a YWCA in Worcester, denouncing what they’re calling the egregious violation of human rights.
“Our local police is not tasked to protect ICE,” said Fred Taylor of NAACP Worcester. “They’re here to protect the people and they should behave that way.”
“On the week we’re supposed to be celebrating Mother’s Day, so please mothers, everybody, stand up with those mother’s that you heard their cries. Like that should be your call to action,” said Dalida Rocha, Executive Director of Neighbor to Neighbor.
The Worcester Police Patrol Officers Union defended their response, saying in part, “We as fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters understand human emotions, and try to be as empathetic as we can while still doing the job we’re required to do daily.”
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