The Divide, Part 3: Hostility, Vaccine Threats Increase Against Staff

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Editor’s Note: The Divide is a three-part series looking at the topic of COVID-19 vaccination mandates in Windsor. Part 1 took place on Thursday and Part 2 took place on Friday.

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Windsor Police have investigated multiple acts of assault on the COVID-19 vaccination center and healthcare staff, including an incident in which someone threw hot tea at a hospital worker.

There have also been tire punctures, verbal abuse and death threats, forcing the hospital to tighten security.

“It’s one thing to threaten me,” said David Musyj, executive director of Windsor Regional Hospital. “But front-line personnel? No way. So that? Really, what for? Does that prove you’re a bigger person when you threaten front-line personnel or spill hot tea on them? What does that prove?

Or puncture your tires? That’s dangerous. One of those staff members could get out of there and get into a car accident.

“If you don’t want to get vaccinated, don’t get vaccinated. But don’t take it out on the staff doing their jobs. “

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Const. Darius Goze said Windsor police are investigating incidents at Windsor Regional Hospital and the vaccination center, but did not give an exact number.

It also did not confirm the details of the incidents or reveal whether any arrests have been made.

“Windsor police have learned of these threats of violence and property damage from hospital staff,” Goze said. “We have investigated each report and addressed them on a case-by-case basis. Additional protocols have also been implemented to support those involved. “

The protests along with incidents of harassment, belligerence and abuse have escalated across the country along with growing opposition to the divisive COVID-19 protocols.

In some cases, misinformation is to blame. The only full-time doctor in the small northern Ontario town of Latchford is closing his practice after a wave of anger and criticism from people who mistakenly believed he was refusing to provide care for unvaccinated patients.

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Locally, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit has said threatening calls, emails and online posts targeting staff increased to the point of closing comment sections on social media posts.

Last week, protesters were evicted from the Devonshire Mall property for trespassing and confronting parents or guardians who were taking children to the vaccination center.

Also last week, former PPC candidate Victor Green posted the vaccine center’s phone number on Facebook, urging people to invade the reservation system with fake appointments so children couldn’t get their shots.

Anger and frustration have not been reserved for healthcare workers.

There were protests outside Windsor City Hall after the vaccination mandate for city employees took effect on November 15, and some Transit Windsor drivers have faced assault from people unhappy with mask requirements on buses.

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On November 4, a man allegedly planted a homemade bomb with a timer at the Windsor Assembly Plant. There was an explosion, but no one was injured. The suspect, who worked as a janitor at the plant through a third-party supplier, was reportedly an anti-vaccine protester. Police have not confirmed that motive.

Krystle Bernauer, founder of Windsor / Essex Citizens and Businesses Against Discrimination (WECBD), said the relatively small number of people who threaten and harass people does not represent the majority of people in the fight against vaccine mandates. .

“We do not tolerate attacks on anyone, whatever their opinion,” said Bernauer.

“I have never recommended anyone to harass or threaten. We have never recommended anyone to call the call center. “

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He said the group posts rules of conduct for rallies and other gatherings on its Facebook page.

“When it came to the vaccine clinic, we ran a PSA (public service announcement) about respecting people, property, health and safety guidelines, because we don’t seek to cause problems,” Bernauer said.

“We just want our presence to be known and that there are concerned people in the public who feel there is misinformation and that vaccine education is extremely important to us. It’s not an attack on whether you choose or not. “

Despite calls to keep things civil from both healthcare leaders and those leading the charge against the vaccine directives, frontline workers continue to face regular doses of threats and verbal abuse.

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It has caused a shift in the priorities of off-duty police officers assisting with security at the vaccination center.

“Our concern at first was that someone would come in and steal the vaccines because it was liquid gold back then,” Musyj said.

“Now it’s been changed to having off-duty police officers there to protect staff from people who come in and are verbally aggressive because they feel like they are forced to get vaccinated to save their job or go to a bar. They feel like they are being forced to get vaccinated and they are taking it away from the staff. “

After a series of threats, Musyj said he lets phone calls go to voicemail if he doesn’t recognize the number or there is no caller ID.

But in some cases, some people have gone beyond verbal abuse.

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Musyj said there have been “multiple” cases of nails and metal dumped in the staff parking lot at the vaccination center.

“And the staff tires get flat,” he said. “We had to scan the parking lot with magnets. We have security cameras in the parking lots. “

At Windsor Regional Hospital, an unvaccinated man poured hot tea into a filter through an opening in the protective barrier.

“Spilling hot tea on a staff member because you are not satisfied with the rules regarding visitation is totally inappropriate,” Musyj said. “It’s off the charts.”

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“The same guy then threatens my family by name. As we deal with the first issue, then he says to the staff, ‘Don’t worry about it, I’ll take care of Dave.’ Then mention the names of my family. Like my immediate family by first name. “

Musyj did not elaborate, including when it happened or on what campus, but said the employee was not seriously injured.

“If someone had told me in December 2019 that we would be dealing with these issues, I probably would have lost a lot of money on gambling,” Musyj said.

“I would have said, no, people wouldn’t do that. No, people are not like that. It’s not going to get to that point. “

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