Canadian nurses at Capitol riot

Anti- lockdown

Despite strict limits on non-essential travel between Canada and the United States, two Canadian nurses active in the so- called “anti- lockdown” movement made it to Washington for the Wednesday rally that preceded the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol.

The women, Sarah Choujounian and Kristen Nagle, were part of a group of American and Canadian health- care professionals calling themselves the Global Frontline Nurses who gathered in Washington that day, according to a news release, video from the scene and social media posts.

In the hours before President Donald Trump’s rally, they held a small event in downtown Washington where both spoke. A live stream posted to Facebook by another nurse in the group shows Choujounian on the steps of the Capitol amid a large crowd.

There is no evidence that either woman participated in the violence.

The identities of the two Canadian nurses were first reported by Vice News.

Neither Choujounian nor Nagle responded to requests for comment.

According to the College of Nurses of Ontario, Nagle has worked at the London Health Sciences Centre Children’s Hospital in London, Ont., since 2012. In a statement, the hospital said she is on unpaid leave.

“We continue to learn of actions involving an NICU nurse at London Health Sciences Centre that are not aligned with LHSC’S values,” it said. “Upon originally learning of concerns related to participation in a local anti- masking rally back in November, LHSC took immediate action to ensure the hospital remains a safe environment for everyone by placing her on an unpaid leave pending the results of the investigation.”

Choujounian is listed as having worked at a long-term care home outside Toronto from 2007 to 2020. In video of the nurses’ event Wednesday, she said she was fired because of her social media posts about lockdowns.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, there’s been a surge of interest in conspiratorial content. What’s emerged is a sprawling movement that mixes vaccine hesitancy, coronavirus denial and far-right conspiracies. It has spurred “anti- lockdown” and “freedom” rallies around the world.

At a rally in Toronto last fall, Choujounian was a featured speaker, according to a video she posted on Instagram, opening her remarks with “Hello, freedom fighters!” and going on to compare coronavirus restrictions to “crimes against humanity.”

In a video posted Thursday, Nagle accused the media of being “manipulative” and interviewed a man who described the previous day’s events as “peaceful.”

“I hope that helps to get a different perspective on what’s happening here,” Nagle said. “We’re having a good time.”