‘Racialized’ Paramedics Injected Handcuffed Black Woman With Drugs Like Elijah McClain, Lawsuit Claims

The countless brave souls on the frontlines of America protesting a variety of social issues go through a lot in the field, from being pepper-sprayed by authorities to sometimes even being physically assaulted by them.

A woman who attended Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals says that her bold act of protesting the controversial overturning of Roe v. Wade at the game led to her being dragged out the arena, handcuffed and injected with a sedative against her will.

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To hear Kareim McKnight tell it, which she did passionately in a recent press conference alongside her legal team (seen above), the paramedics at Chase Center that day on June 13 had no concern for her well-being when they stuck a needle in her arm. McKnight and friend Amanda Piasecki walked out on the court with a banner that read “Overturn Roe? Hell No!” Security reportedly proceeded to drag both women out the venue by their feet, later taken to an emergency vehicle while strapped to a gurney and threatened with sedation by a San Francisco Police sergeant.

“While I was on the ground, handcuffed in front of the emergency vehicle, one of the firefighters came with a needle towards me and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” McKnight said in her public statement, going on to add, “and I flinched and I said, ‘No!’ what if I’m allergic, you can’t just inject me.’”

Another protester who was arrested alongside McKnight, Magda Piasecki, said during a press conference announcing the lawsuit that she “saw the racialized nature of what was going on.”

More on how this case is developing below, via ABC News:

“San Francisco’s policy on dealing with adults ‘with severe agitation posing a danger to self or others’ allows for the use of the drug midazolam, a short-acting sedative sold under the brand name Versed, according to the county’s emergency medical services protocols.

The San Francisco Fire Department wouldn’t say when the county approved the sedative to be used on people being detained or how many times the sedative has been used on detainees. Both the San Francisco Police and Fire Department referred all questions to the city attorney.

Jen Kwart, a spokeswoman for City Attorney David Chiu, said the office couldn’t comment on the lawsuit because it had not yet been served.”

McKnight makes a pretty good case when it comes to being sedated against her will, especially considering the 2019 death of Elijah McClain. Many will remember that he was stopped by Denver police, who then called paramedics that gave him 1.5 times the dose of a very strong sedative called ketamine than he should’ve had. McClain went into cardiac arrest soon after and was later declared brain dead.

“The worst part of giving her the injection was that she was strapped to a gurney, handcuffed, and therefore was not a danger to herself or anyone else,” said McKnight’s attorney, John Burris, who admitted that he’s never seen police “sedating a fully restrained protester” throughout his four decades as an attorney.

SEE ALSO:

Aurora, Colorado To Pay Elijah McClain’s Family $15 Million Settlement Two Years After His Killing

As Aurora PD’s Racism Is Confirmed, Elijah McClain’s Mom Fears They’ll ‘Mess Up Again’

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