Following the killing of George Floyd last week, people all over the world have come together to demand justice for Floyd and other Black Americans who have died at the hands of police brutality.
As protests continue in major cities across the U.S., healthcare workers—who have been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic for months—are showing their support for the Black Lives Matter movement by applauding protestors and walking in solidarity with them in their scrubs and masks, presumably after very long shifts.
On Tuesday, Feature Story journalist Sarah Walton tweeted a viral video of healthcare workers lined up along a side walk in New York City cheering and clapping for protestors as they walked by. The protestors applauded along with the healthcare workers while holding up signs and fists. You can hear some protestors should out “Thank you!” to the nurses and doctors.
Hospital staff come out to applaud #GeorgeFloyd protestors in New York – demonstrators shout back ‘Thank You’. pic.twitter.com/1BBLiL04JT
The New York Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program tweeted out some photos from New York City protests on Tuesday, showing healthcare workers marching in Times Square in their white coats.
“Hundreds of healthcare workers in Times Square tonight in solidarity with #BLM. Racism and police terror are public health EMERGENCIES,” the tweet read. “Time to invest in social services, communities, and healing.”
Hundreds of healthcare workers in Times Square tonight in solidarity with #BLM. Racism and police terror are public health EMERGENCIES. We must #DefundNYPD now — time to invest in social services, communities, and healing. #frontlinesforfrontlines #whitecoats4blacklives pic.twitter.com/wzVTbWMeKM
The Healthcare Equity Action League of New York also tweeted another video of the protests in Times Square, showing more doctors and nurses kneeling and holding up fists signifying solidarity while protesting. All you can hear during the peaceful, nonviolent protest is the distant sound of sirens.
Frontline healthcare workers kneel in solidarity with #BlackLivesMatter frontline protesters in Times Square today. #DefundThePolice #frontlinesforfrontlines pic.twitter.com/11Dzr73vv7
In addition to marching, healthcare workers are stepping up to provide medical aid to people who are being injured during protests. Tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets are among the crowd control weapons currently being used against protestors by law enforcement officials.
Twitter user Joshua Potash shared a viral video on May 29 showing several healthcare workers stepping in to provide medical aid for protestors in Minneapolis. “This is amazing. Nurses have been going straight to protests after long COVID shifts to help treat people hit with tear gas and rubber bullets,” he tweeted.
This is amazing.
Nurses have been going straight to protests after long COVID shifts to help treat people hit with tear gas and rubber bullets.
pic.twitter.com/VG3ZKBd8FD
Following the killing of Floyd and subsequent public outrage in Minneapolis, the Minnesota Nursing Association released a statement: “As nurses, we see the horrific effects of racism in our hospitals and community every day. We cannot remain silent as yet another black man has died at the hands of police.”
“Nurses care for all patients, regardless of their gender, race, religion or other status. We expect the same from the police,” the statement continued. “Unfortunately, nurses continue to see the devastating effects of systematic racism and oppression targeting people of color in our communities. We demand justice for George Floyd and a stop to the unnecessary death of black men at the hands of those who should protect them.”
From: Prevention US
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