Out in Oakland tonight for #BlackLivesMatter demonstrations (thread)
Police in full riot gear, armed with entire swat teams started arresting people for no apparent reason. Two young black men started running around asking for help outside of 19th St , on Thomas L. Berkeley (1)

... At the bus stop (a heavily populated corner), I see that an elderly Black man was laying on the ground and appeared to be unconscious. I asked the boys what happened and they told me that they think the man is overdosing. I ask the boys if the man's been given Narcan (2)

... the boys start shouting when I mention Narcan. "YES! YES! HE NEEDS NARCAN AND CPR"
with my background in social services, carry Narcan with me in my purse most of the time. So I run over to the man & hes laying face down on the pavement, and he is no responsive. (3)

Now, this entire time there are cops and emergency vehicles everywhere. A police officer is standing over the man with his arms crossed but otherwise offers no assistance until I begin to intervene. I shout to all the cops who are standing around and ask if anyone has Narcan (4)

NOT A SINGLE POLICE OFFICER OR EMERGENCY RESPONDER IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA, AND THERE WERE DOZENS, WERE CARRYING NARCAN.

EVERY SINGLE ONE HAD MULTIPLE WEAPONS AND FORMS OF PPE.

ALMOST ALL SAT IDLY BY WHILE I ADMINISTERED NARCAN, BEGAN CPR, AND TRIED TO KEEP THIS MAN ALIVE (5)

Quick sidebar, if you do not know about Naloxone (NARCAN), you should. Here's information from my friends at the Harm Reduction Coalition: https://harmreduction.org/issues/overdose-prevention/overview/overdose-basics/understanding-naloxone/

... I put on gloves (thank God i brought medical supplies, jfc) and administer 8 mg of Naloxone. I talk to the man and try to get him to open his eyes or breathe. I wait & rub his back and tell him that there are police officers standing around him, that I'm here for him (5)

EMS and more cops arrive and I am still the only person providing care to the man. I immediately tell everyone that the man needs another dose of Narcan. The EMTs tell me "oh we'll give him some" but I never witnessed him receiving another dose. He was starting to breathe when (6

... they rolled him on to the stretcher, but he was still not responsive. The cops tell me to step off as they are moving him. I continue to try to talk to him and get the man to respond to me. He does not. The cops do not say anything. (7)

The fact that, amidst a global and national health crisis, on a street where THOUSANDS of public officials were allegedly present to protect and serve and keep the peace.....NOT A SINGLE ONE HAD NECESSARY AND BASIC LIFE SAVING RESOURCES. It is fucking shameful that (8)

I, whose only professional experience has been in nonprofit work, ended up being the most qualified person amidst thousands of "crisis responders" to save this mans life. And it's shameful how absolutely little these cops are showing up to help AT ALL.

There are riots in the (9

Streets because THE POLICE AND THOSE IN POWER, who we are told are supposed to serve and protect us appear to be by and large unprepared and unwilling to do so. Even when we are being nonviolent. Even with this human being laying face down on the pavement at your fucking feet (10

Anyways, that video is near 19th St where one of the trashcans is on fire and a bunch of fucking cops can be seen standing by watching it burn. Felt appropriate. #BlackLivesMatter #OaklandProtests