Supplies Strewn Across Sidewalk After North Carolina Police Destroy Volunteer Medic Tent

Supplies such as water and first aid at a volunteer medic tent in Asheville, North Carolina, were destroyed by officers with the Asheville Police Department (APD) on Tuesday, June 2, during an anti-police brutality protest, local reports said.

Gillian Maurer was volunteering at the medic tent and filmed these videos. She said police told the medics they could stay within the area of the tent after curfew, but shortly after the start of curfew she said the police trapped her and other volunteers and began destroying supplies.

“They began breaking things, they began physically harassing people. One shoved me against a wall, as others surrounded me and were pushing in on me/hitting me with shields,” Maurer wrote in a Facebook post. “These riot cops were stabbing water and saline, so that it was contaminated by their tear gas and could not be used, along with destroying other medical supplies we had been arranging.”

News reports said the medical volunteers had a “verbal arrangement” with police to be there.

Asheville Police Chief David Zack issued a statement on the incident, saying that the department prefers “confiscation over destruction” and apologized for “not being able to confiscate these supplies.” Chief Zack said the APD tried to get rid of items such as water bottles that could be thrown, and that they also searched for explosives. Chief Zack said the medic tent was not authorized by the city.

“Actions involving the supply station occurred following multiple warnings, and after the 8 pm city-wide curfew,” the statement said. “Last night, the city-wide curfew, coupled with law enforcement strategies and peaceful protesters, led to no physical injuries and minor property damage in the downtown area.” Credit: Gillian Maurer via Storyful