WORCESTER, MASS. (WHDH) - A former Worcester city councilor was convicted of assaulting a police officer, but was cleared of another charge Wednesday following a day-and-a-half long trial.
The jury found Etel Haxhiaj guilty of assaulting a police officer during an ICE operation. She was cleared of the second charge of interfering with a police officer.
When ICE agents were in a Worcester neighborhood to arrest a woman on May 8, 2025, Worcester police responded as a crowd gathered around the federal agents. Body camera video released later captured Haxhiaj on the hood of an unmarked cruiser on Eureka Street. She was accused of hitting one officer and shoving another while she was among a group of people protesting the arrest.
Haxhiaj said she was trying to protect a mother and baby during the operation.
7NEWS spoke with Haxhiaj after court was adjourned, and asked how she felt about the verdict.
“It makes me more determined to continue my work and ask for police accountability and transparency,” Haxhiaj said. “I am proud of my actions and I’m very sad the jury did not see the truth.”
Jurors deliberated for nearly three hours before reaching the verdict.
“The jury did reaffirm what we think is a very important principle in this case, which is there’s a line between peaceful protest and interfering or assaulting police officers who are trying their best to do their job in a very difficult situation,” said Steven Gagne, First District Attorney at the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office.
Haxhiaj was sentenced to six months of probation and 40 hours of community service. Her attorney said they will consider filing an appeal.
“An appeal process would certainly be on a basis of law and not disputed facts in the case,” said Elizabeth Halloran, Haxhiaj’s defense attorney. “So she and will review those and make that decision together in the upcoming days and weeks.”
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