A woman accused of pushing Worcester police officers as they roughly arrested a teenager while the girl's mother was being detained by ICE agents appeared in court on Friday, while the community continues to react.
Ashley Spring faces several charges, including assault and battery on a police officer, after allegedly pushing officers and throwing an unknown liquid on them amid the chaotic scene, which is set to be the subject of rallies in Worcester and Framingham Friday evening. The YWCA Central Massachusetts, NAACP Worcester Branch and Worcester City Council Vice Chairman Khrystian King was being held to address the incident on Eureka Street Friday as well.
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WATCH HERESpring, a candidate for Worcester School Committee, had not guilty pleas entered on her behalf and was released on her own recognizance after her appearance in Worcester District Court. Beforehand, she told NBC10 Boston she feels the community's support and will continue her run for office.
"Kids are in trouble and that makes me scared for them," she said. "We'll see what comes within the next couple of months. And hopefully, you know, both me and Worcester police will be better off because of the results of it."
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The scene of the arrest has prompted outrage after footage, including exclusive video captured by Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra, showed the detention of a woman and her 16-year-old daughter, with the girl's face slammed into the ground as she was taken into custody.
The mother and daughter have not been identified, and Worcester police say the entire incident is now under investigation.
Worcester officers were dispatched around 11:13 a.m. to Eureka Street for a report of a federal agent who was surrounded by a group of about 25 people, according to police. — video showed people yelling at the officers like, "You're not supposed to work with ICE!"
When police arrived, they said, the teen daughter was holding a newborn baby in her arms and standing in front of the ICE vehicle that was trying to leave with their mother inside. Officers told her that she was endangering the baby, so she handed the newborn to a relative.
But, police allege, as the ICE vehicle drove away, she ran after it and kicked the passenger’s side of it. She was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment of a child, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
“Those two girls were very, very upset, as you would be if your family member who, you know was just living their life, was suddenly grabbed and detained by ICE. And your lawyer says that they can’t take you without a warrant, and then they do," said Siobhan McGrath, who witnessed the incident. "I mean, there was a lot of police here and I don’t understand what Worcester Police is doing, trying to facilitate these horrible detentions and deportations, some of which are illegal.”
Worcester City Manager Eric Batista said in a statement, "The series of events was no doubt disturbing, and the footage of a family being separated is harrowing."
He insisted Worcester Police were not assisting with the ICE detainment, but called in to help de-escalate the chaotic situation.
Video is being reviewed and further charges may be forthcoming, he said.
NBC10 Boston and Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra have reached out to ICE for more information.
"For officer safety, we do not comment on ongoing operations," the agency said in a statement.
