Protest demands ICE "stop taking mothers" in wake of viral Worcester detainment
A protest was held in Worcester, Massachusetts on Sunday, demanding ICE "stop taking mothers" after immigration officials detained a woman and arrested two other people last week.
Hundreds of people gathered on Worcester Common to protest the ICE operation, which saw residents trying to intervene to stop ICE from taking a woman on Eureka Street.
ICE detain mother, daughter arrested
In video that has since gone viral online, the woman's daughter was seen screaming and flailing in front of ICE vehicles as her mother was detained by ICE agents, some of whom were wearing masks. Crowds of neighbors were then seen rushing to their defense, surrounding the ICE vehicles and trying to stop them from leaving. The woman's daughter and another woman were arrested.
Worcester Police responded to the scene, saying they were deescalating the situation. However, some Worcester residents are criticizing them, saying they were working together with ICE.
Rally calls for lawmakers to protect constituents
At Sunday's rally, residents demanded legislators enact laws that protect their constituents.
"The Safe Communities Act provides due process for these immigrants, so they're not taken up illegally," said protester Kate Merritt-O'Toole. "There's a defense act for them. There's also legislation to protect their information, their data.
"Like immigration enforcement is a thing but there's a right and a wrong way to do it. They are trying to instill fear in people right now and that is absolutely unnecessary," said another person at the rally.
Police said the protest remained peaceful on Sunday.