COVID Update June 3: Peacefully protest or stay safe from COVID-19?

Why not both? 1/

Asking people to choose between their rights & demands for justice and their health is not a choice we need to ask of people.

We have the duty to make it safe. 2/

People who say we need to choose between the economy & public health (incorrectly) ought to understand that people also shouldn’t have to choose between justice & their health. 3/

Peaceful protest, demonstrations, making your voice heard, marching— all of that sounds challenging in the face of Coronavirus— and it is a health risk. But so is racism. 4/

Compared to other things— a large indoor church gathering, a crowded casino, a bar, or say a major political convention, the risk of being outdoors in a crowd is lower risk, particularly with some common sense precautions. 5/ https://twitter.com/mmurraypolitics/status/1268175438339342336

I would take health advice from this guy. 6/ https://twitter.com/mschlapp/status/1267439961944535040

Who is making it unsafe?

Marching & carrying a sign is reasonably safe.

Aggressive police response and the tactic of jamming a crowd together, trapping them in from all sides is not safe. Tear gas causes sneezing & coughing. Also NOT SAFE. 7/

The city and law enforcement in fact has more to do with the safety of protesters than anything else. Giving the protesters ample room, allowing them to assemble peacefully.

Public health departments should take the lead in ensuring safe conditions & a harm reduction approach.8/

Public health commissioners should issue guidance that all officers on site set the tone- not only by taking a knee with protesters, but by wearing a face mask, socially distancing, and allowing the crowd to socially distance. 9/

Another thing not safe— jails. Non-violent protesters should be going nowhere near a jail. COVID or not. 10/

Protesters can also cut down on the risks with common sense precautions. Masks, bilaterally. Show up, bring extra & give them to people without. Change them after a few hours. Still keep socially distant. Drive & gather with people you shelter with. 11/

Hand sanitizer, which wasn’t readily available even weeks ago, is now. Use it frequently. And liberally, not conservatively. 11/

The city and state must provide free & universal testing for all protesters, demonstrators, journalists & peace officers. 12/ https://twitter.com/ASlavitt/status/1268172321937915905

If you’re protesting & live with people at higher risk— parents, grandparents, people with diabetes or high blood pressure, isolate from them until you’ve had a negative test (or two). 13/

If you have a positive test result, a fever, or a scratchy throat, protest from home. work on the #8cantwait campaign to end violence by the police.14/

Black communities are disproportionately harmed by COVID-19 & are disproportionately harmed by police violence.

Our policies are responsible for both. Let’s change both. 15/

Listen to @deray talk about all the numbers behind the epidemic of police violence. 16/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-the-bubble-with-andy-slavitt/id1504128553

Going to a protest doesn’t mean people are throwing caution to the wind, don’t care if they get sick, ot does it serve them right. We have an obligation to protect free speech, free assembly, a free press & to that means making it as safe as possible. 17/

Times that test us aren’t the times to fold our ideals. Or to tell us we have to choose. We owe the people fighting for our ideals who are pushing us to be a better country the best & safest platform to do it from. 18/ https://twitter.com/ASlavitt/status/1268286959014875138

Protests will go until things finally change. Neither the virus nor the president will stop it. /end