On Thurs., Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer is expected to meet with organizers of a medic station set up to support protestors.
During Tuesday evening’s protests, police in riot gear destroyed supplies and forced the voluntary medic team to leave the alleyway on Patton, where they were set up.
“We were obviously very shocked that they were physically pushing us out of the alleyway, telling us to leave, threatening with arrests and tear gas to all of our other medics who were just trying to get their things out and trying to get the medical supplies out,” Sean Miller, head of communications for the medical team said.
She says the group of volunteers includes doctors, EMT’s, wilderness first responders and individuals with CPR training who wanted to offer their services at the protests. Miller says she’ll continue this work as long as the protests continue -- and in the future. She’s a sophomore at UNC Asheville, studying international human and environmental rights law.
"This is directly in line with what I intend to spend the rest of my life doing," Miller said. "We are living in a time and an age that requires us as human beings to be fighting for each other and helping each other as much as we’re physically able."
Asheville Police Chief David Zack responded in a statement Wed. that the water bottles and equipment were destroyed because they could be used as weapons thrown at officers. In a separate statement issued the same day, Mayor Esther Manheimer called on police to offer further explanation of the officers’ actions to the city council.
