Protesters See Health Risk As Worth It: We’re Choosing Between ‘Dying From COVID Or Dying From Cops’
Experts anxiously watch thousands of Americans gather together in the midst of a pandemic and worry the very people the protests are trying to help may be hurt the worst by a second spike of the virus. But activists say that in the long run, the risk of exposure is worth it. Although scientists say infection is less likely in outdoor spaces, a number of factors--such as how much yelling and chanting is happening--play into how dangerous the situation is for the protesters.
The New York Times:
After Months Of Coronavirus Isolation, George Floyd Protests Draw Shoulder-To-Shoulder Crowds
For days, Kate Dixon, has been watching the videos of demonstrations from her home in a Denver suburb: the images of young people packed shoulder to shoulder, the crowds shouting in unison on downtown streets, the occasional détente between protester and police officer that ends in a hug. “You want that to be a wonderful moment,” said Ms. Dixon, a stay-at-home mother who has been sewing face masks in her spare time. “But your heart just hurts at all the illness this could be causing.” In the last week, the United States has abruptly shifted from one crippling crisis to the next. (Bosman and Harmon, 6/2)
The Associated Press:
Protests In Top 25 Virus Hot Spots Ignite Fears Of Contagion
As demonstrators flooded streets across America to decry the killing of George Floyd, public health experts watched in alarm — the close proximity of protesters and their failures in many cases to wear masks, along with the police using tear gas, could fuel new transmissions of the coronavirus. Many of the protests broke out in places where the virus is still circulating widely in the population. In fact, an Associated Press review found that demonstrations have taken place in every one of the 25 U.S. communities with the highest concentrations of new cases. Some have seen major protests over multiple days, including Minneapolis-St. Paul, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. (Smith and forster, 6/2)
ABC News:
Mass Protests Could Lead To A Another Wave Of Coronavirus Infections
As thousands of demonstrators continue to protest the killing of George Floyd, health experts are worried that a second wave of COVID-19 infections could be sparked by the mass gatherings. "What we have here is a very unfortunate experiment going on with COVID virus transmission," said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. (Schumaker, 6/2)
The Associated Press:
The American Story, Splintered, And Those Vying To Tell It
The hard times that have befallen this nation in 2020 — a deadly pandemic, millions unemployed, political warfare, the upheaval after George Floyd’s death — have revealed an increasingly evident truth: The storylines that have long held the nation together are coming apart. “The United States is essentially a collage culture. And if you were a certain group, you had the comfort of the solidity of the great American story. It had a coherence,” says Robert Thompson, director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University. “And it’s now been broken apart into a million little pieces.” (Anthony, 6/3)
CNN:
Surgeon General Warns Of Coronavirus Outbreaks From Floyd Protests
US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams said to expect new outbreaks of the coronavirus resulting from the nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd that have seen thousands of people gather in close proximity. While a majority of protesters nationwide have worn masks and face coverings as they demand justice for Floyd, an African-American man who died last week while in police custody, the large crowds have made it difficult to social distance. The coronavirus pandemic has also disproportionately affected communities of color, an issue Adams has highlighted. (Stracqualursi, 6/2)
NBC News:
Protesting In A Pandemic: COVID-19 Testing Sites Shut Down Amid National Unrest
Just as access to COVID-19 tests was ramping up in many areas across the country, some testing sites have been forced to suspend operations because of violence and protests in recent days. The temporary closures — from California to Florida — are sure to hamper efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus, particularly as social distancing has given way to mass gatherings of potentially contagious people who don't know they're infected. (Edwards, 6/2)
Bangor Daily News:
Bangor’s Anti-Racism Rally Was One Of The City’s Biggest In Years
It’s not every day that hundreds of people take to the streets of Bangor, as they did Monday night to protest racial inequality and police brutality following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. It was an unusual, but not unprecedented, moment for the Queen City, which does not generally see as many large political demonstrations as two of its counterparts to the south, Augusta and Portland. (Eichacker, 6/2)
