Massachusetts ICE arrest disrupted by ‘unruly’ crowd, leading to 2 arrests

A tense video emerged of a Massachusetts ICE arrest being disrupted by a crowd of about 25 people in what police are calling a “chaotic incident.” 

Footage captured Thursday in Worcester shows a group of residents chanting “don’t take the mother!” and “no warrant!” after a woman was led into an SUV by uniformed ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents. Before the vehicle can pull away, other women are seen placing their hands on the front hood of an SUV and screaming in protest.  

At one point, a CBP agent and a bystander start shoving each other as he tried to move her away from the SUV. The vehicle eventually leaves the area after the Worcester Police Department arrived and declared an unlawful assembly, threatening arrest. 

“I am disturbed to hear about today’s events involving ICE. As someone who prides themselves on leading a welcoming city, I am devastated to hear about the separation of a family, especially with Mother’s Day around the corner,” Joseph Petty, the city’s Democratic mayor, wrote on X.  

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“The fear of ICE tearing a family apart is the worst nightmare of so many in our city. I have asked the City Manager for a full report of the incident. We were not notified by ICE about the detainment. Simply put, we cannot have this happen in our community,” he added. 

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) did not immediately respond Friday to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

The Worcester Police Department said it responded to the area of Eureka Street around 11:13 a.m. “for a report of a federal agent who was surrounded by a large group of about twenty-five people.” 

“We also received a call from someone saying that ICE officers were on scene and refusing to show a warrant to the crowd.  Worcester Police officers responded to preserve the peace and prevent anyone from being injured,” the department said. 

However, when officers arrived, “they observed a chaotic scene with several federal agents from various agencies attempting to take a female into custody,” according to the Worcester Police Department.  

“Federal agents had placed this female under arrest and were attempting to leave in a vehicle.  The crowd was unruly, and several people were putting their hands on federal agents and Worcester officers in an attempt to keep the vehicle and the arrestee from leaving. Worcester officers attempted to deescalate the situation and keep everyone safe,” police continued. 

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“As the vehicle went to pull away, a juvenile female had a newborn baby in her arms and was standing in front of the car with the newborn. Officers told her that she was endangering the child and that she needed to move. Eventually she complied and gave the newborn to someone else,” police also said. “As the vehicle moved away, she ran after the vehicle and kicked the passenger’s side of it. It appeared that she was going to run in front of the moving vehicle, and officers took her into custody.” 

That woman has been charged with Reckless Endangerment of a Child, Disturbing the Peace, Disorderly Conduct and Resisting Arrest, while the infant was unharmed. 

Police said while they were taking her into custody, Ashley Spring, 38, of Worcester, “pushed multiple officers” and “threw an unknown liquid substance on them.” 

She was also arrested and has been charged with Assault and Battery on a Police Officer, Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon (unknown liquid), Disorderly Conduct, and Interfering with a Police Officer. 

The Worcester Police Department said the “chaotic incident is still under investigation” and further charges may be forthcoming.