By Tiffany Williams –
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.
Due to a conflict of interest, the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
“Peaceful political protest is a protected and cherished constitutional right, while physical assault on law enforcement officers is not,” said First Assistant District Attorney Steven E. Gagne. “Today’s verdict reinforces that distinction.”
The case has also triggered sharp reaction from the president of the union representing Worcester police officers, NEPBA Local 911.
In a lengthy statement, NEPBA Local 911 President Thomas Duffy II said, “Last week, former Worcester City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj was convicted of criminal assault and battery on a female Worcester Police officer. This verdict was not rendered by a judge acting alone, by a police union, or by any political entity. It was delivered by a jury of citizens, selected through the legal process, who found her guilty beyond a reasonable doubt after hearing the evidence presented in open court. The integrity of that process matters.”
Duffy also criticized Council Vice Chairman Khrystian King for attending the two-day trial in support of Haxhiaj and submitting a letter to the court requesting leniency. “Elected officials are entitled to their views, but when those views consistently align against law enforcement officers who are victims of crime, it raises legitimate concerns about impartiality,” Duffy said.
He further addressed comments by newly elected District 2 Councilor Rob Bilotta, who had stated publicly, “It’s concerning to see the justice system be used as a political cudgel, to silence concerns surrounding WPD’s response to the events on Eureka Street.” Duffy said such assertions “undermine confidence in the judicial system and disregard the jury’s role in evaluating facts and evidence.”
In his statement, Duffy added, “The fact that these city councilors seem to have no issue with a Worcester Police officer being assaulted is, to say it mildly, unacceptable.”
He continued, “Attempts to frame this criminal conviction as a racial or political matter ignore the fundamental truth: this case was adjudicated in court, before a jury, based on evidence. The verdict speaks for itself.”
Duffy called on Councilor King to recuse himself from matters directly involving the Worcester Police Department, stating that “Public confidence in municipal group governance requires decision-makers who can approach police-related issues with objectivity and without demonstrated bias.”
“Accountability through due process is not silencing, it is the rule of law,” Duffy said. “Those who demand accountability from police officers must also accept accountability when the legal system holds them responsible.”
NEPBA Local 911 concluded by reaffirming support for officers, stating, “We are confident that the overwhelming majority of citizens recognize the professionalism and sacrifice of their police officers. We thank them for their continued support, and we urge elected leaders to reflect that same commitment to fairness, safety, and the rule of law.”
The body camera footage now adds a visual record to a case that has already divided political leaders in Worcester and intensified debate over protest, policing, and accountability.
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Dylan Azari, DeJaune Jones and Laura Soukkavong contributed to this story.