Shadow of ICE arrest hangs over Worcester ‘State of the City' speech

Yahoo

22-05-2025

Calls for unity, cooperation and resilience among Worcester residents dominated City Manager Eric D. Batista's State of the City speech on Wednesday, amid sporadic cries from protesters both inside and outside the Jean McDonough Arts Center.
'Last year, I told you we were in an era of opportunity, and if we took advantage of that, we could enter an era of accomplishment,' Batista said. 'We did take advantage, and a lot of what I'm going to speak about tonight are accomplishments.'
Batista touted achievements such as increased housing units, more equity initiatives and increased road development.
Even so, the city manager also highlighted growing division in the city, with the recent ICE arrests on Eureka Street immediately taking the forefront of his speech.
The event, hosted by the city in collaboration with the Worcester Regional Research Bureau (WRRB), featured a performance of the Star-spangled banner by Doherty student Nayeli Roman, and a poem recital by Oliver de la Paz, Worcester's poet laureate. WRRB Executive Director Paul Matthews welcomed the crowd, composed of several city council members and business leaders throughout the city, as well as members of the public. Mayor Joseph M. Petty introduced Batista.
'I know that many of you listening tonight, and residents across Worcester are in pain after the events on Eureka Street on May 8,' said Batista, within a minute after he took the podium at the center's BrickBox Theater. 'You are not alone in that pain.'
The May 8 incident on Eureka street concerned the arrest of a woman whom ICE officials say resided in the country illegally, resulting in a crowd of about 30 people attempting to stop the arrest. The woman's daughter and a candidate for school committee were arrested in the ensuing response by Worcester police, who maintain they were only there to protect the peace and not assist in federal deportations.
Showcasing his administration's executive order last week that set a policy concerning how the city will handle ICE arrests and the release of bodycam footage and 911 audio from the incident, Batista said that he is prepared to manage the city through any additional ICE activity.
'Today, our city stands on the brink of division,' Batista said. 'We cannot go back and change what happened, but we can learn from it and come together as a municipality and a community to determine how we respond moving forward.'
However, a group of approximately a dozen protesters shouted within the venue and attempted to disrupt the address, with one protester displaying a banner reading 'BAUTISTA IS A LIAR' and another carrying a sign with a doctored image of Batista wearing an ICE tactical vest. At one point, a protester played audio of the deportation on repeat.
Batista appeared stoic as he had to pause multiple times throughout his 40-minute speech amid shouts, at times speaking with a raised voice to drown out the commotion. Security guards escorted multiple people out without force, including one protester who walked onto the stage within 15 feet of Batista.
'You're making everything seem progressive and nice and safe for people, but our eyes are open and we understand that things are truly bad,' said the protester facing Batista, before being escorted to the reception area.
David Webb, a Worcester activist who was the victim in a spray-paint assault at City Hall last year, continuously shouted over the city manager until four Worcester police officers instructed him to leave. Webb left without incident.
In addition to the inside protesters, a group of about 15 people congregated outside city hall across the street from the venue, holding signs reading 'ICE OUT NOW' and chanting such as 'No ICE, freeze rent!'
Despite protests, the speech largely continued as planned. Batista listed a number of priorities going forward into next year for the city, with him ranking public health and safety as Worcester's top priority, calling it a 'non-negotiable.'
'It is imperative that we build and maintain a public health and safety infrastructure based on trust and the needs of our city,' Batista said, acknowledging that last year's Department of Justice (DOJ) report — which found the city's police department used excessive force and engaged in illegal acts with vulnerable women — and the Eureka Street arrests have placed considerable backlash on local authorities.
'I know recent events and the release of the DOJ report in December have tested that trust,' Batista said. 'That is why it is more important than ever for our staff, from our police to our health experts to our engineers, to be out in the community, connecting with residents and building relationships,' Batisa said, eliciting boos from the protesters.
The manager went on to say that violence, particularly by firearms, still continues to be an issue, showcasing the record-high amounts of murders in 2024. Batista referenced the police department's dedicated firearms unit, which itself has made over two dozen arrests since July of last year with a total of 90 firearms seized across the department, which Batista described as preventive policing.
Additionally, Batista defended increased inter-agency cooperation as a success, stressing the work between the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the police department in dealing with those experiencing crises. Batisa applauded this work, pointing out that the DHHS has seen an increase in overdoses and poor mental health within the city, congratulating the organization on its outreach programs with what he said were 14 different youth programs within the city.
The manager affirmed his commitment to traffic accident prevention initiatives, calling back to his declaration of a 'Road Safety and Traffic Violence Crisis' last August following a series of fatal pedestrian impacts, several of which where children were the victims. Batista mentioned the development of the citywide 25 mph speed limit implemented at the beginning of this year, as well as over 20 speed bumps installed since the first phase of the Vision Zero program began, as well as what he calls the 'complete streets' model, which aims to make roads safer for all modes of transportation.
'We envision a Worcester where workers can bike to offices, students can walk to school, and visitors can easily navigate all the wonderful things our city has to offer, without having to worry about the harm inflicted by a speeding car or an unsafe sidewalk,' Batista said.
Other improvements were highlighted in education, such as the completion of the new Doherty Memorial High School, and over $10 million in debt reserves for future school projects, such as the planned Burncoat High School rebuild.
Batista went on to discuss the issue of housing availability and prices in Worcester. The city will continue to add population by 2033, with at least 12,000 new units to be constructed by then, according to Batista. By 2050, the city population will surpass 230,000 residents, Batista said.
Bastis touted 571 new housing units over the past year as a success, stating that they came from trust fund projects, zoning policy changes, and the community preservation program. About $376 million in new residential construction has been added within the past few years, and with increased development, 14,000 new jobs should be added by 2034, Batisa said.
'That is something we can all be proud of,' the manager remarked.
The issue of homelessness was also tackled, with the manager stating that the homeless shelter at the former Registry of Motor Vehicles on Main Street and its inclusion of a women-only shelter last winter have shown that the city takes the issue seriously, which Batista says he will work with assistance organizations to attempt to keep the shelter operating permanently.
Other pledges were made in environmentally friendly initiatives, with multiple plans in development to treat pollution in water and litter throughout the city, with the manager making note of the plan to install over 150 trash bins across the city by this summer, in addition to planting more urban trees. The Zero Waste Master Plan, Clean Street Collective, and the Green Worcester Plan are a part of these measures.
'As you may have noticed, we love plans,' Batista quipped.
Small businesses were also listed as another one of the city's priorities, including implementing relaxed permitting allowing for more streamlined event planning, as well as prioritizing job fairs to increase the city job pool. Also mentioned was the plan to convert part of the former Norton Company lot to new development is expected to add over 1,000 jobs to the city, Batista said.
Keeping with Batista's theme of unity, the manager made special note of the city's diversity, equity and inclusion programs, such as committing to a pay equity review for municipal employees and a fully staffed equity office, a position long marred by attrition troubles. Further, Batista applauded the city's sanctuary status for transgender individuals as a success.
'It is easy to uphold your values when no one is questioning them, but it shows your true character if you can still uphold them in the face of potential backlash,' Batista said.
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