This post is part of our special coverage on the #hungerforjusticesf. Five San Francisco residents are on hunger strike outside Mission Police Station, demanding that Mayor Ed Lee fire San Francisco Police Chief Gregory P. Suhr. Over the past three years the SFPD has shot and killed four men of color; the protestors feel that the hunger strike is the only remaining option to demand an end to police impunity. Read our full coverage here.
Exhaustion and weakness have take a toll on Day 16 as all members of the Frisco 5 have been taken to the hospital. In a short press release the five announced their intention to continue the hunger strike despite being hospitalized. Details of their health situation hasn’t been released to the media citing privacy.
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Growing increasingly weak on day16 of strike all members of #Frisco5 have been taken to hospital to be monitored pic.twitter.com/uZwtxRzTMY
— Mission Local (@MLNow) May 6, 2016
On day 10 Edwin Lindo, one of the hunger strikers and candidate for Supervisor for District 9 announced “Our blood is in their hands”Â
The news comes a day after the group held a press conference with their doctors providing more details on the risks involved as they enter the third week of the hunger strike. The group has been sustaining themselves with electrolytes, coconut water and broth.
Maria Cristina Gutierrez on why she started the hunger strikeÂ
The past few days have seen an increase in pressure on the Mayor’s office. On Tuesday, over 800 people marched on to City Hall to demand the Mayor fire Chief of Police Greg Suhr. Despite a large crowd of protestors that stayed on for a few hours, Mayor Lee did not meet with the Frisco 5; his staff told supporters that the mayor was in a meeting in Bayview.
Yesterday afternoon, a call between the Mayor and the Frisco 5 revealed that the Mayor Lee had no intention of firing Chief Suhr.
The Chronicle has reported that the five appear to in little danger, but the medical emergency of today suggests that, in fact, they are risking their health and possibly their lives for their cause. Yesterday their doctors emphasized, without revealing health details, that the five are at risk as they start week three. The lack of solids coupled with the fact that they are sleeping outdoors and spend most of their time outside of tents has caused their condition to worsen over the past few days.
I don’t have to talk to their doctors to know what hospital protocol is, and requirements of doctors. Starving under a doctors care is malpractice.
If the story is true, they would have been hooked up to an IV upon admittance. I know that much. Why don’t you?
The only thing they risked was their dignity.
I don’t think they’re brave.
There are people who are brave, actionable and take risk every day – you can’t judge by their screen name, or their jobs, or because they wear a Keffiyeh.
Three weeks of no solids isnt as bad as you seem intent on presenting it as. People have lived over 2 months on hunger strikes where they didnt drink water, chicken broth, juice, or take multivitamins. I guess being outside contributed….i guess. May i remind you, for the first week of their strike, temperatures in the city were in the 70’s……..you seem adamant about showing this issue in a certain type of way-not about showing us whats going on. Im almost inclined to call this an op-ed, its not neutral reporting.
Foginacan, you’ve never taken a brave stance or action, or risked anything for a cause or your community, in your entire life. So you are threatened by those who have.
Unless you were down there, talking to them, talking to their volunteer doctors, you know nothing. Next.
If they were hospitalized, then they are no longer sleeping outdoors, or in danger of starvation.
The chances all 5 had a simultaneous medical emergency are slim to none anyway.
I guess that’s the most thought you’ve given to this conflict. Ugh.
Frisco…ugh