Medical students slam blocking of first aid

Medical students slam blocking of first aid

Violet Wong reports

Hundreds of students from the University of Hong Kong's Faculty of Medicine on Thursday protested against the police for refusing to allow voluntary paramedics to immediately tend to injured detainees.



Some voluntary medics were stopped by police as they attempted to help those injured inside the Prince Edward MTR station on Wednesday. Officers later explained that they cannot allow those who claim to be medical professional to treat detainees as they are not sure of their abilities.



The HKU medical students voiced their discontent against this restriction and accused them of brutality.



A student, who gave his name as Wong, said some people would think it is as unusual to see medical students joining protests. But the circumstances demand we do, he said.



"As police adopt hard tactics, more and more protesters and even people passing by including kids and elderly are getting hurt. This forces the medical sector to take a more important role," he said.



But some paramedics were targeted by police and one even got shot by a rubber bullet, said Wong. He said the sight of a paramedic pleading with police to let him attend to the injured at Prince Edward MTR station was heart wrenching.



"The paramedic was asking the police, almost begging, to let him conduct that humanitarian aid, which is such an important and sacred obligation. Even then he was not allowed in," he said.



The students formed a human chain more than 400 metres long, stretching from a teaching building on Sassoon Road to the Queen Mary Hospital. Some of them wore bandage over one eye to show solidarity with a woman who was injured in the eye during a clash last month.



They also put a yellow helmet and gas mask, the standard gear of front line protesters, on a statue of Sun Yat-sen during their demonstration.



The students said they also want the government to accept all five demands of the anti-extradition bill protesters.



A final year medical student, surnamed Cheung, said he isn't happy that Chief Executive Carrie Lam has not accepted the major demands of the protesters and agreed only to withdraw the contentious extradition bill.