The South Burlington, Vermont, Police department say a traffic accident Wednesday morning occurred when ICE agents tried to apprehend a person.
Just after 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, police received reports of a multiple-vehicle accident on Dorset Street.
When South Burlington Police responded they found one of the vehicles unoccupied and three other damaged cars. Their preliminary investigation determined that ICE agents attempted to apprehend an individual, but the person fled. The ICE agents then unsuccessfully tried to box in the vehicle in a Dorset Street parking lot, but the driver again fled and hit several other cars. ICE agents then surrounded a building and requested the local department’s help because a crowd of protesters had gathered.
South Burlington Police say they were unaware of the immigration enforcement action until they were investigating the crash and did not assist the federal agents with the immigration enforcement activity.
UPDATE Thursday morning:
Protests against a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement attempt to detain a South Burlington resident escalated Wednesday leading to arrests.
Following a chase that resulted in a crash on Dorset Street, ICE agents surrounded a house as they awaited a federal arrest warrant.
Protesters gathered throughout the day to block ICE agents from entering the house. Seven Days reports that federal agents forced their way through the crowd, broke down the door and detained three people. The crowd then surrounded the agents’ cars preventing them from leaving. Local independent news agency Seven Days posted video of federal law enforcement using “flash bang devices and ... pepper balls” as their vehicles departed.
The South Burlington Police Department led a press conference with local law enforcement agencies late Wednesday night. Chief William Breault emphasized that their role was to assure public safety and that no local officers directly aided federal agents.
“We were there simply to keep the public safe, to allow them to peacefully protest and to assure that the federal agents could execute their criminal arrest warrant as safely as possible.”
Breault criticized the federal agents saying their actions reflected poor planning and decision making.
“To try to attempt an arrest of a subject in a moving vehicle on Dorset Street in the area of a high school and middle school at 7:45 in the morning when the school is getting in. There should have been more consideration given to the general safety of the community. I will let them speak to why they did what they did. I will tell you that given the size of the crowd and given the potential for additional public safety concerns there should have been potentially more thought given to was taking this person into custody at this moment fully necessary.”
About 60 law enforcement officers from South Burlington, neighboring communities and the Vermont State Police responded.
Four protesters were arrested for hindering and/or disorderly conduct and have been released.
ICE and other federal authorities were invited to the press conference but declined to appear.
UPDATE Thursday afternoon:
Vermont’s Congressional delegation is among officials slamming Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in South Burlington on Wednesday.
When ICE agents attempted to stop an individual, it led to a morning traffic accident and day-long protests at the suspect’s home.
Sens. Bernie Sanders, an independent, Peter Welch, a Democrat, and Democratic Representative Becca Balint are criticizing the ICE action as “irresponsible, reckless and unprofessional.” The trio said ICE created a crisis and “To make matters worse, they failed to arrest the person they were initially pursuing and instead arrested at least three individuals who were not named on the warrant.” Thursday afternoon, the Vermont State Police said that “Federal agents executed the arrest warrant, including breaking down the door to the home.” That has been disputed by some advocates including Migrant Justice which says witnesses saw “heavily armed Vermont State Troopers smashed down the door to the home.”