Law enforcement officials in the state of Vermont put a local prosecutor on blast after she decided not to file charges against six individuals who took part in a violent clash with police in March. Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George stated that she would not be filing charges against six people who were arrested during a violent protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
Police and public safety officials criticized George for the decision, stating that while ICE may have, in their words, caused “harm” to the community, assaulting police officers is not behavior that should be tolerated. “I am confident that some protesters escalated the situation and went beyond civil disobedience into unacceptable and perhaps criminal behavior,” George said in her statement.
“Including the three individuals cited by BPD – but I am just as confident that there were some law enforcement officers who agitated, who escalated, and who responded in a way that may ultimately be deemed legal, but was also unacceptable,” she added. “So to charge these six individuals with no criminal records, and expect that they bear the burden of all the harm caused that day — is not something I was interested in our office being a part of.”
According to a report from The Daily Caller, the Burlington Police Department released a statement to local news outlets, saying, “BPD recognizes the degree of harm that was experienced on March 11 as a result of the actions of federal immigration officials, and we acknowledge the impact this harm has had on members of our community.”
“At the same time, the rule of law must be upheld. Engaging in physical confrontations with law enforcement in the street is not protected speech or expressive conduct under the First Amendment,” the statement continued. Three anti-ICE agitators arrested by Burlington law enforcement were referred to a “restorative justice” program. However, they refused to participate.
The incident took place on March 11, 2026, as ICE officers were running an operation to take an illegal alien into custody, when the suspect smashed into multiple ICE vehicles and one “bystander vehicle.” While agents waited for a warrant to enter the house the illegal migrant fled into, a group of protesters showed up, which then turned into a several-hour confrontation.
Once ICE finally obtained the warrant, they went into the house, soon taking three people into custody. Anti-ICE protesters then tried to stop the federal agency’s vehicles from being able to leave the premises with the arrested individuals. The agitators went so far as to slash one of the vehicle’s tires. Vermont Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison and Vermont State Police Director Col. Matthew Birmingham released a statement concerning George’s decision.
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“Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George’s recent statement just gave permission for people at large gatherings to obstruct police officers and interfere with arrests. This is a disheartening decision that sets a dangerous precedent,” the statement read. “State’s Attorney George has a vastly different vision from our own for what public safety and the rule of law looks like.”
“She has missed an opportunity to delineate between the lawful conduct the First Amendment protects and the lawlessness of criminal behavior that escalates volatile situations and harms communities,” the statement concluded. A number of Vermont State Police officers suffered injuries during the confrontation. One sustained eye injuries after rioters smashed a van window. Two female officers were punched in the face.
According to reviews by local and state law enforcement agencies, there was no excessive force used by the officers involved in the situation. “Lawbreakers in Chittenden County already seemed to know they can act with impunity. Individuals at the Dorset Street incident repeatedly stated that State’s Attorney George would not prosecute them for their behavior that day. It turns out they were right,” Morrison and Birmingham stated.