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Is Worcester breaking Open Meeting Law by going virtual? What the AG's office says

Is Worcester breaking Open Meeting Law by going virtual? What the AG's office says

Yahoo13-05-2025
The City of Worcester announced Monday that Tuesday night's city council meeting and standing committee on finance meeting would be held virtually instead of at City Hall 'out of an abundance of caution' regarding 'public safety concerns.'
The city hall itself will be closed to the public at 5 p.m., per the notification.
In a statement released on Tuesday morning, Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty said that the change in venue is due to 'threats of violence' made to elected and city officials.
Petty said tensions in the city have been high since a Brazilian woman was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Eureka Street last Thursday.
Following the incident, the 'events of the last few days ... have been deeply disturbing and raised many questions,' the mayor said. 'As a result, many people — regardless of their viewpoint — are frustrated and angry.'
'Unfortunately, elected and city officials have received threats of violence,' Petty continued. 'City employees and department heads have also faced threatening calls and emails. It is important to remember that the people that keep city hall alive are just that — they are people. Employees have shared concerns about their safety."
The announcement of the change in venue was made public less than 48 hours before the meeting, raising the question as to whether the city violated the state's Open Meeting Law.
Guidance on holding meetings remotely under a continuation of COVID-19 measures in Massachusetts reads that meetings, including meeting locations, need to be posted at least 48 hours in advance — that's true even if the meeting is taking place remotely.
Section 20 of the law states that, except in the case of an emergency, 'a public body shall post notice of every meeting at least 48 hours prior to the meeting, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays.'
According to the Massachusetts Attorney General's office, a public body, in this case the city council, is allowed to change venues and post an amended notice at least 48 hours in advance.
However, if a meeting location is changed less than 48 hours in advance, the public body needs to provide the public with sufficient notice of the location change.
Additionally, a public body should also publicize the location through whatever channels it uses to communicate with the public, according to the Attorney General's office.
Examples of these channels include automated email notifications, social media platforms and online messaging boards, according to the Attorney General's office.
The public body must also be able to provide a rapid response to any email or phone inquiries from the public about meeting access.
Monday's announcement of the venue change was publicized by the city on social media platforms such as X, Instagram and Facebook.
On the city's website, a notification about Tuesday's meeting is highlighted at the top of the webpage. Clicking on the notification will bring the viewer to the full statement from the city along with a Zoom link, access code and telephone number to call into the meeting.
'In order to ensure active public engagement, remote participation for both meetings is available through at the City Council's Zoom link,' the statement reads.
A protest at City Hall against the actions of ICE and the Worcester Police Department is set to take place on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
The protesters will demand that the city council request City Manager Eric D. Batista write a new policy for the Worcester Police Department that would prevent them from becoming involved in ICE operations, according to organizer Jim Miller of Worcester.
Protesters had planned to attend the city council meeting in person and speak during the meeting's public comment period, Miller said.
He confirmed to MassLive on Tuesday that the protest is still on for 5:30 and that some rally members will speak at the city council meeting remotely.
Worcester judge sets trial date for woman detained by ICE on separate charge
Worcester mayor says council meeting will be remote due to 'threats of violence'
Worcester City Council meeting to be held virtually 'due to public safety concerns'
Read the original article on MassLive.
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He lived an immigrant's nightmare. One problem: He's a citizen, got his arrest on video
He lived an immigrant's nightmare. One problem: He's a citizen, got his arrest on video

USA Today

time30 minutes ago

  • USA Today

He lived an immigrant's nightmare. One problem: He's a citizen, got his arrest on video

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He said the footage shows how FHP and Border Patrol agents are under "extreme pressure" to meet daily arrest and deportation quotas and that the response has led to a "reckless disregard" of the rights of both undocumented and legal immigrants and even the rights of U.S. citizens. 'All of us should be not only offended, but outraged by that misconduct,' Scarola said. 'And if we fail to appropriately respond to that outrageous disregard of the civil rights of others, all of our civil rights are in serious jeopardy.' Stopped while heading to work Kenny Laynez was born in 2005 at St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach to a Guatemalan single mother who is in the U.S. legally but is not a citizen. He attended Palm Beach Lakes High School and got a job at the landscaping company where his mother drove crews to work sites. Neither Laynez nor his mother works for the company any longer. 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Another agent pulled Esdras, called Kevin by his coworkers, by the leg and tightened his hands around his neck. The video then shows Laynez stepping out of the car, but an officer who had ordered him to get on the ground pushes him from behind, twisting his arms and kneeling him to the pavement. Esdras stood rigidly as three officers tried to force him to the ground. They told him in English to lie down, while Laynez urged him in Spanish not to resist. 'Aye! What are you doing? That is not how you arrest people,' Laynez said. The video shows an officer pulling out a yellow Taser and firing twice into Esdras' stomach. Laynez saw his body and legs spasm before he slammed onto the pavement, crying. An agent pressed his knee on Laynez's back and forced him face down to the pavement. An officer later ordered Laynez to stand up, but he said he was too scared to move. 'I am not going to get up because you are going to do to me whatever you were doing to Esdras,' Laynez said. 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On the video, an agent recounted how Laynez said they didn't have the right to come in the door and says: 'I already told you to come out. If you don't come out, I'll pull you out.' 'God damn. Wow,' the officer cheered. 'Nice!' 'Just remember you can smell too with a $30,000 bonus,' another officer chimes in. It was not immediately clear to what bonus the officer referred. On the tape, an officer is heard saying that Laynez's coworker was resisting arrest, so he should be charged. 'He was being a d*** right now. That is why we tased,' an agent said. The phone recording stopped shortly after that exchange, its memory out of storage. The agents confirmed Laynez's mother had legal status and issued her a ticket for driving with a suspended license. Laynez said she told them he was a U.S. citizen and showed them a picture of his Social Security card. They still took Laynez into custody. 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Laynez said she told him she needed to see if he had filmed videos of the arrest. Laynez said he unlocked his phone, closed all his apps and locked it again. He said he declined to open it and set it down on the table. He said she told him they would wait in that room until he opened it. She asked again for his date of birth. Laynez said he trembled. That was his password. Laynez said the officer threatened to press charges if he didn't unlock his phone, but then a person who appeared to be a supervisor interrupted them. Laynez said the supervisor said Laynez wasn't supposed to be in that room because he is a U.S. citizen. The supervisor took Laynez's fingerprints and said it was only to leave a record that he had been in the facility. Then he told Laynez he couldn't leave without signing some paperwork and that he would have to show up in court. "What did I do?' Laynez said he asked while signing. "I didn't do anything. Why do I have to present myself in court?' 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Pope Leo says migrants and refugees can bring light and aspiration from dark corners of the world
Pope Leo says migrants and refugees can bring light and aspiration from dark corners of the world

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  • Boston Globe

Pope Leo says migrants and refugees can bring light and aspiration from dark corners of the world

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Leaders of Canada's ‘Freedom Convoy' facing up to eight years in prison: ‘political vengeance'
Leaders of Canada's ‘Freedom Convoy' facing up to eight years in prison: ‘political vengeance'

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Leaders of Canada's ‘Freedom Convoy' facing up to eight years in prison: ‘political vengeance'

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