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Nurse who stood up to armed lockdown protesters in Arizona says they thought she was a paid actor 'in costume' - as her colleague warns demonstrators she could be the last person they see 'when they catch covid'
Lauren Leander, 27, was among a handful of medical professionals who turned out to a counter-protest at the 'Patriot's Day Rally' in Phoenix on April 20, when nearly a thousand people marched on the state Capitol Building.
Protesters 'were not peaceful' and stood within a foot of Ms Leander, coughing at her and accusing the small group of being actors 'dressed up in costume', she told The View yesterday.
Zahid Seed, Ms Leander's colleague and friend, warned the demonstrators - some of whom carried assault rifles - that Ms Leander's face would be the last they see 'when they are admitted to the ICU'.
He said: 'When they inevitably contract Covid-19 and transmit it to their loved ones, Lauren will be one of the first faces they will see when they are admitted to the ICU.
'She may also be one of the last faces that they ever see.'
Lauren Leander (pictured right), 27, was among a handful of medical professionals who turned out to a counter-protest at the 'Patriot's Day Rally' in Phoenix on April 20. She described protesters walking a foot in front of her (pictured)
On the day of the protest group ignored the 'heated' demonstrators and stood silently in their scrubs and face masks, Ms Leander said.
She added: 'There were people coughing the "fake virus" on us. One of the big themes [was] they thought we were paid actors, that we were planted there by a hospital or by the government and we were told not to speak and just stand there in costume.'
Ms Leander, who works at the Banner University Medical Center's Covid-19 unit, revealed she spent her day off at the event.
She wanted to raise awareness for her colleagues who 'haven't seen their families in months' as they continue to self-isolate.
Ms Leander added: 'A lot of healthcare workers' lives are on hold.'
At one point a protester tried to bait the group away by pretending someone was unwell and needed help. There were also 'large, strong men fully masked carrying assault rifles', she said.
The stay-at-home protesters, who want lockdown measures to be lifted, have been supported by a number of politicians, including former Arizona state Senator Dr. Kelli Ward.
In a tweet posted the day after the rally, Dr. Ward questioned the motivations of the nurses who turned out to counter-protest, describing them as 'actors playing parts'.
Protesters 'were not peaceful' and stood within a foot of Ms Leander, coughing at her and accusing the small group (pictured) of being actors 'dressed up in costume' as they silently wore their scrubs and face masks
Ms Leander revealed she spent her day off from the Phoenix's Banner University Medical Center Covid-19 unit at the protest (pictured)
The sentiment frustrated Leander, who stated: 'I wish she could be in my shoes for a day, I'd have her put on a pair of scrubs and walk with me'.
However, Leander has been hailed a hero by many in her profession for bravely standing up to represent healthcare workers on the frontline of the pandemic.
Among them was a message from Ms Leander's colleague Mr Zahid.
'Today she stood up for healthcare workers as protesters descended upon the State Capitol. She stood in silence as people called her a "fake nurse" & "paid actor" amongst other horrendous things,' he said.
'Ironically, she has spent many days in the Covid ICU caring for our sickest patients. She stood for those who are on life support and have no voice of their own. She stood for the 42,604 Americans who have died so far.
Leander has been hailed a hero by many in her profession for bravely standing up to represent healthcare workers on the frontline of the pandemic. Pictured, with a puppy
Despite the intensity of the protest, Leander (pictured) previously told told KNXV she feels no ill-will to those who stood against her
Despite the intensity of the protest, Leander previously told told KNXV she feels no ill-will to those who stood against her.
'I just hope people see that nurses are not the enemy and we'll take care of them one way or the other,' she stated.
'I don't care if you believe in this virus or not or truly what your opinion is of it, if these people show up in my ICU we will take care of them one way or another.'
Leander was photographed wearing a medical mask and scrubs as she and her colleagues were heckled by the protesters, who brandished placards
- ICU nurse Lauren Leander, 27, was labelled an actor at a protest in Arizona
- She joined handful of medical professionals at the Patriot's Day Rally in Phoenix
- Protesters coughed on the group and accused them of being actors in costume
- Ms Leander works at the Banner University Medical Center's COVID-19 unit
Lauren Leander, 27, was among a handful of medical professionals who turned out to a counter-protest at the 'Patriot's Day Rally' in Phoenix on April 20, when nearly a thousand people marched on the state Capitol Building.
Protesters 'were not peaceful' and stood within a foot of Ms Leander, coughing at her and accusing the small group of being actors 'dressed up in costume', she told The View yesterday.
Zahid Seed, Ms Leander's colleague and friend, warned the demonstrators - some of whom carried assault rifles - that Ms Leander's face would be the last they see 'when they are admitted to the ICU'.
He said: 'When they inevitably contract Covid-19 and transmit it to their loved ones, Lauren will be one of the first faces they will see when they are admitted to the ICU.
'She may also be one of the last faces that they ever see.'
Lauren Leander (pictured right), 27, was among a handful of medical professionals who turned out to a counter-protest at the 'Patriot's Day Rally' in Phoenix on April 20. She described protesters walking a foot in front of her (pictured)
On the day of the protest group ignored the 'heated' demonstrators and stood silently in their scrubs and face masks, Ms Leander said.
She added: 'There were people coughing the "fake virus" on us. One of the big themes [was] they thought we were paid actors, that we were planted there by a hospital or by the government and we were told not to speak and just stand there in costume.'
Ms Leander, who works at the Banner University Medical Center's Covid-19 unit, revealed she spent her day off at the event.
She wanted to raise awareness for her colleagues who 'haven't seen their families in months' as they continue to self-isolate.
Ms Leander added: 'A lot of healthcare workers' lives are on hold.'
At one point a protester tried to bait the group away by pretending someone was unwell and needed help. There were also 'large, strong men fully masked carrying assault rifles', she said.
The stay-at-home protesters, who want lockdown measures to be lifted, have been supported by a number of politicians, including former Arizona state Senator Dr. Kelli Ward.
In a tweet posted the day after the rally, Dr. Ward questioned the motivations of the nurses who turned out to counter-protest, describing them as 'actors playing parts'.
Protesters 'were not peaceful' and stood within a foot of Ms Leander, coughing at her and accusing the small group (pictured) of being actors 'dressed up in costume' as they silently wore their scrubs and face masks
Ms Leander revealed she spent her day off from the Phoenix's Banner University Medical Center Covid-19 unit at the protest (pictured)
The sentiment frustrated Leander, who stated: 'I wish she could be in my shoes for a day, I'd have her put on a pair of scrubs and walk with me'.
However, Leander has been hailed a hero by many in her profession for bravely standing up to represent healthcare workers on the frontline of the pandemic.
Among them was a message from Ms Leander's colleague Mr Zahid.
'Today she stood up for healthcare workers as protesters descended upon the State Capitol. She stood in silence as people called her a "fake nurse" & "paid actor" amongst other horrendous things,' he said.
'Ironically, she has spent many days in the Covid ICU caring for our sickest patients. She stood for those who are on life support and have no voice of their own. She stood for the 42,604 Americans who have died so far.
Leander has been hailed a hero by many in her profession for bravely standing up to represent healthcare workers on the frontline of the pandemic. Pictured, with a puppy
Despite the intensity of the protest, Leander (pictured) previously told told KNXV she feels no ill-will to those who stood against her
Despite the intensity of the protest, Leander previously told told KNXV she feels no ill-will to those who stood against her.
'I just hope people see that nurses are not the enemy and we'll take care of them one way or the other,' she stated.
'I don't care if you believe in this virus or not or truly what your opinion is of it, if these people show up in my ICU we will take care of them one way or another.'
Leander was photographed wearing a medical mask and scrubs as she and her colleagues were heckled by the protesters, who brandished placards