Worcester School Committee candidate arrested on Eureka Street raised $9200 on GoFundMe

Launched fundraiser day after arrest, facing multiple criminal charges, placed on unpaid leave

In what could be viewed as a craven move to raise funds in the wake of a migrant family tragedy, Worcester School Committee candidate Ashley Spring launched a GoFundMe campaign for her own benefit, the day after the Eureka Street incident

The May 8th chaos culminated in her arrest by Worcester Police, but the fundraising campaign to “fight unjust charges” as she “put herself between ICE agents and two women who were unlawfully captured” raised at least $9,200 for her in just 72 hours.

Spring announced the fundraiser - “School board candidate arrested in Worcester ICE raid fund, organized by Ashley Spring” - on Instagram the next day, Friday May 9th and shared that she had been placed on unpaid leave from her job with the Worcester Public Schools.

According to Fox 25 Spring is facing multiple charges: “assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (unknown liquid), disorderly conduct, and interfering with a police officer.”

The campaign has now been deleted from GoFundMe and it is unclear if Spring cashed out the funds, refunded the donors or simply unpublished the seemingly successful campaign. Spring has not issued an update on IG since the announcement.

Spring’s GoFundMe is different than the still active campaign set up to benefit the actual family at the center of the ICE activity May 8th.

The GoFundMe launch coincided with growing national attention to both the Worcester and New Jersey ICE protests and offers a insight to Spring’s immediate reaction - raise money, for herself.

Police bodycam footage indicate that Spring and City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj played major roles in the chaos of that day. Haxhiaj has not been charged.

On Sunday May 11th, Bill Shaner took to X to shill for Spring, which seems to be one of the last social media mentions of Spring’s fundraiser.