Cops Protect Home Of Officer Who Drove Truck Into ICE Protesters

PAWCATUCK, CT—Stonington Police Capt. Todd Olson confirmed that his officers are protecting the Pawcatuck house of Thomas Woodworth. The now-former corrections captain resigned after driving his truck through a line of non-violent protesters outside the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls, Rhode Island Wednesday night.

Olson said Woodworth, 53, asked for police patrols.

"I can confirm that we are making frequent patrol checks at the request of a resident and property owner of the Town of Stonington," Olson said when asked by Patch about reports that officers were keeping an eye out at Woodworth's request.

The group of activists from Never Again Action had formed a hand-held human chain at the parking lot entrance when Woodworth drove his truck into them. Never Again Action says it's Jewish people "taking direct action against ICE & ICE enablers to sound the alarm."

At Wednesday night's protest, five people were injured; two from being hit by the truck and three from the effects of pepper spray.

"Five people were hospitalized, including one person with a broken leg. The assault was a small example of the horrifying violence that ICE uses against our immigrant neighbors every day," Never Again Action wrote on Facebook. "The violent incident occurred after more than three hours of peaceful protesting outside the facility where more than 100 asylum-seekers are currently detained. Some 500 Jews and allies had gathered to demand the prison end its contract with ICE and to call for an end to the Trump administration’s attacks on immigrant communities."

In July, a group of Jewish immigration organizers from The Alliance to Mobilize Our Resistance and other stopped ICE "from doing business as usual " at the privately-run federal detention center where, the group says, "ICE is separating children from their families at the U.S. border and imprisoning them and other immigrants in concentration camps."

Wednesday Aug. 14, the plan was to meet and walk to Wyatt, the state's only ICE detention facility, to "send a clear message to the U.S. government and to the profiteering Wyatt bond holders that we refuse to be silent—and therefore complicit—in the face of human rights abuses..." and "shut down Wyatt." The protesters met at Jenks Park and made the 10-minute walk while chanting. The protest, as can be seen on myriad videos is a peaceful one.

As Woodworth plowed into protesters, other officers began pepper-spraying people.

Initially Woodworth was placed on leave, but Friday, resigned. Never Again Action says he needs to be charged criminally not protected.

"We are glad to hear that Captain Woodworth has resigned. We hope that will not be the end of an effort to hold him accountable for attempting to run over multiple Jewish youth and elders peacefully protesting," Never Again Action wrote. "The other officers who indiscriminately pepper-sprayed a distraught and traumatized crowd must face accountability for the violence they enacted, which sent three more people to the hospital."

The Rhode Island Attorney General and the Rhode Island State Police are investigating.

RI AG Peter F. Neronha issued a statement Thursday.

"This Office, working with the Rhode Island State Police, is investigating what transpired last night at the Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls. Once we have a full understanding of the relevant facts, we will determine how to proceed. Peaceful protest is a fundamental right of all Americans; it is unfortunate last night's situation unfolded as it did. We urge all to exercise restraint as our investigation proceeds."

U.S. Representative David Cicciline wrote on social media, "The right of a free people to protest their government is fundamental to our democracy. Wyatt needs to fully cooperate with the State Police and the Attorney General during their investigation.”

U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse tweeted, “RI was founded on the principle of tolerance & there is no place here for any assault on peaceful protesters. This incident needs to be thoroughly investigated & those responsible must be held accountable.”

Sen. Jack Reed wrote, “Peaceful protest is an American right. Last night’s video is very disturbing and the state police must swiftly investigate.”

Woodworth was a decades-long guard at Corrigan Radgowski Correctional Center in Uncasville until 2009. He was one of a number of named officers from the prison in an excessive use of force lawsuit filed by a former inmate. That case was dismissed.