Community Members, Union Leaders, Gang Members Unite to Protest Closing of South Side Hospital
Members of the Black Disciples street gang in Chicago have joined protests to save a South Side hospital.
Roseland Community Hospital is the only hospital within an eight mile radius. Supporters say it is an essential lifeline for the people in the community. They assert that 50,000 will be at risk, and 600 people will lose their jobs.
Rev. Phillip Cusic, an employee at the hospital, says members of the Black Disciples reached out asking if they could help keep Roseland open.
Members of the Black Disciples vowed to join peace protests and publicly make their voices heard.
Cusic said he can’t give an exact number of how many alleged gang members the hospital sees but said it serves “quite a few.”
“They deserve a right to live,” Cusic said.
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“If there’s nothing here at all, period, then where are they going to go? Just lie in the street and die?” one protester said.
The Roseland Coalition, a community group, said closing the hospital would put nearly 50,000 people at risk and 600 employees could lose their jobs.
The hospital let go 60 workers two weeks ago due to the lack of funding and activists are calling on Gov. Pat Quinn to use emergency funds to save the center.
Community members, employees, and union leaders say the state owes the hospital that could be put towards saving it.
Meanwhile, Gov. Quinn’s office contends that The hospital and its board of directors have serious management issues that need to be addressed.”
Should the state step in and save Roseland Community Hospital?
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