Coronavirus is still real. Protesters say they’re fighting a worse pandemic – Crosscut

I think it was more about whether that risk was justified, considering what we were seeing clearly with our own eyes, Thayer said referring to the video of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressing his knee into George Floyds neck.

Id rather die as a result of catching the virus this way than because I had to go back to work, Thayer said of the protests.

She tried her best to take precautions at the demonstrations, such as wearing a mask, but social distancing became impossible when police set off flash-bang grenades and sprayed tear gas into crowds.

Thayer isnt alone. For the past week, thousands of protesters around the country have been weighing their passion for social justice with fears related to the coronavirus, whichhas killed more than 100,000 people in the U.S. Even some public health officials have said that, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, these protests are too important to skip.

Crowds have been banned throughout COVID-19 because of the danger of spreading the virus. But there are other health concerns related to attending protests, such as the deleterious effect of tear gas. This is especially true for the elderly. Health officials have also warned those who are already sick should get tested and stay at home.

Some advocates have officially expressed fear around the idea of protesting during the coronavirus threat. On the Friday protests first started in Seattle, Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County released a statement that may have come as a surprise to some.

Our board of directors was initially conflicted about whether to boost these demonstrations, the advocacy group said in a statement. Ultimately, we decided that the situation is too dangerous for us to encourage greater attendance at these in-person protests.

The statement pointed out that COVID-19 had already hit communities of color particularly hard. Here in King County, Latinos now account for 40% of COVID-19 cases, even though they make up only 13% of the population. African Americans have also been disproportionately affected.

We refuse to encourage our community members to needlessly risk their lives and their health during this time when other avenues of action are available, the statement read.

Zawadi Chege, a 20-year-old resident of Tacoma who just finished community college, said as a former student with limited funds, she couldnt think of other meaningful actions to participate in.

I was really scared, and so was my mom, Chege said of the protest she attended in Tacoma. But I think its different being Black and undocumented. Ididnt feel like I had a choice.

Black lives being murdered by policeor people who are supposed to protect usis not OK, Chege said.

Chege layered on protection: gloves, a T-shirt turned into a makeshift mask and a bandana. Chege said her face was so covered in clothing that only her eyes were exposed. She also carried a backpack full of essentials, includinghand sanitizer.

If I was going to be arrested, thats what I would want to be arrested for out of anything else, Chege said of attending the protest.

Despite the apparent danger, many public health officials have encouraged participation indemonstrations during the pandemic. Infectious disease experts at the University of Washington circulatedan open letter supporting the proteststhat ultimately drew more than 1,200 signatures. Officials havenoted that standing up to police brutality means fighting an equally serious public health concern: racism.

The actions of these police officers are unconscionable and so blatantly racist, the outrage is justified, Patty Hayes, director of Public Health Seattle & King County, said in a statement. We cant let COVID-19 distract us from our resolve.

Let us join together in King County and show how it is possible to break down the historical institutional racism that affects our communities every day, Hayes said.

Racism is a public health threat that cant be ignored, Washington state Health Secretary John Wiesman said in a statement. I want our Black community members and all people of color to know that the Department of Health is standing with you in solidarity, support and love.

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Coronavirus is still real. Protesters say they're fighting a worse pandemic - Crosscut