A video documenting a confrontation between a New York City hospital employee and group of young Black men has sparked national attention.
First posted to Twitter Saturday, the video shows a White woman in NYC Health + Hospitals scrubs attempt to take a Citi Bike from a young Black man. The man kept his hands on the bike, not once placing them on the woman in the minute-and-a-half clip, despite her screaming "Please help me!" as if she was being attacked.
\u201cThis lady tried her best to weaponize her tears, but when she realized it wasn't going to work she switched it off and acted like nothing happened.\n\nThis should be criminal.\u201d— \ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83e\udd40 (@\ud83e\udd40_Imposter_\ud83e\udd40) 1684033151
"This is my bike. It's on my account," the man asserted in the clip.
As the confrontation continued, the woman — who is reportedly six months pregnant — accused the men of “hurting my fetus." She then began to cry, asking bystanders for help. As onlookers continued filming, she stepped away from the bike, tears coming to a halt.
The men in the video claimed that they had already paid for the bike. Statements and receipts from the women's lawyer to The New York Post say that she was the one who purchased it.
The woman has been identified as an employee of Bellevue Hospital. The organization said that the video had been brought to their attention and that they are currently conducting an investigation into the "disturbing" incident and the nurse's behavior, and that she has been placed on leave for the time being.
"The provider is currently out on leave and will remain on leave pending a review," the hospital said in a statement Tuesday. "As a health system, we are committed to providing an environment for our patients and staff that is free from discrimination of any kind."
\u201chttps://t.co/a0Rs3h010i\u201d— NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue (@NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue) 1684244003
