Burlington Police Cases Referred to Community Justice Center for Restorative Process

Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George has decided not to charge six protesters arrested during a federal immigration raid in South Burlington last month, referring three cases from the Vermont State Police and three from the Burlington Police Department to the Burlington Community Justice Center for a restorative process.

George said in an interview Wednesday that she declined to charge the three individuals cited by Vermont State Police for disorderly conduct because it remained unclear why those specific people were arrested when others engaging in similar behavior were not. She emphasized there was no violence, physical contact, or physical harm caused by any of the protesters.

The decision has drawn criticism from Vermont State Police and Burlington Police officials. Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison and state police director Col. Matthew Birmingham issued a written statement Wednesday afternoon accusing George of having a vastly different vision for public safety and the rule of law, saying she missed an opportunity to distinguish between lawful First Amendment conduct and criminal behavior that escalates volatile situations.

Morrison and Birmingham also stated they took offense at George’s suggestion that state and local police were partially responsible for escalating the situation during the March 11 incident outside a South Burlington house where ICE officials took three people into custody after a day-long standoff with protesters blocking ICE vehicle departures.

The Burlington Community Justice Center, which handles the referred cases, uses restorative practices and community values to foster healing, accountability and repair for people impacted by and responsible for harm, conflict, and crime in the community, according to its official description.