SF hunger strikers go to hospital, camp packed up — but demonstration goes on
Five demonstrators who have been refusing to eat until San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr resigns or is fired were taken to the hospital Friday due to “deteriorating health,” supporters said, and their 16-day protest camp outside the Mission Police Station was packed up.
Later in the day, about 50 demonstrators stormed through City Hall, banging on doors and blowing whistles before stopping to chant for Suhr’s removal in front of the closed door to Lee’s office.
A line of sheriff’s deputies formed in front of the office and the protesters moved to sit at the top of the building’s main staircase, chasing away a handful of couples getting married.
According to medical experts, people can die very quickly — within a week or so — without water.
Eventually starvation can cause hormonal changes and affect cognition, causing people to feel confused, forgetful or just mentally slow.
City health officials said in a statement Friday that the protesters “have a good awareness of their risk, and they have been continuing to access care as needed.”
In an emailed statement, supporters said they would not release additional information about the health of the people on strike due to “privacy concerns.”
Several protesters have said that they would refuse feeding tubes or other types of nutritional supplementation even if they became very ill.