WORCESTER, Mass. — Newly released body camera footage is reigniting outrage in the city after showing a now-former city councilor putting her hands on a police officer during a chaotic confrontation tied to a federal immigration operation.
The video, sent to NewsTalk New England late Wednesday night, is body worn camera footage from a Worcester police officer. It shows former Worcester City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj placing her hand on a uniformed officer and pushing that officer during an incident on Eureka Street last May.
Haxhiaj was found guilty of assault and battery on a police officer following a one-and-a-half day trial and two and a half hours of jury deliberations in Worcester District Court. She was convicted of the misdemeanor charge and sentenced to six months of probation and 40 hours of community service. She was found not guilty of interfering with a police officer.
Prosecutors said Haxhiaj shoved a uniformed Worcester police officer during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Worcester. Police body camera video recorded the moment as crowds swarmed federal agents attempting to take a woman into custody. Worcester police had been called in for crowd control…