A viral video has sparked outrage after two influencers were seen taking photos in front of an ambulance while paramedics treated a patient, blocking the vehicle's route. The clip, shared on Reddit, shows a man striking poses on a stretcher at the back of the ambulance while smoking a cigarette, as a woman took photos.
Incident in West Hollywood
The incident unfolded in West Hollywood, California, and was captioned on Reddit: "Influencers take photos in ambulance attending to a patient on a gurney." The original poster added sarcastically: "Not everyone can be at Milan Fashion Week. Someone's gotta influence in West Hollywood."
In the footage, emergency medical staff are seen wheeling a patient into view before the influencers appeared to take umbrage at being asked to move aside by a member of the public. An argument ensued before the casualty was transferred into the ambulance.
Online backlash
Reddit users branded the duo as "ghouls with cameras and zero self-awareness", while others highlighted the safety hazard of the man's cigarette near the ambulance's highly-combustible compressed oxygen tanks. "My God, people are ridiculous," one person slammed. A second raged: "The nerve of her! I couldn't believe that the guy had to physically move her back just to allow the patient to be wheeled up to the ambulance."
A third Reddit user declared: "Social media has convinced Gen Z and newer that they actually have some sort of right to stick phone cameras wherever they like." A fourth shared their own experience: "Had an ambulance come for me two weeks ago and the first thing all of the kids in the neighbourhood did was shove their phones in the door to record me. Life is absolute Hell." A fifth added: "Nothing captures influencer culture quite like needing to be physically shooed away before realising an ambulance isn't a photo booth."
Legal context
In the UK, the Emergency Workers (Obstruction) Act 2006 criminalises obstructing or hindering emergency workers while they are dealing with emergency situations. The law, passed on 8 November 2006 and in effect from 20 February 2007, was brought forward through a Private Member's Bill to address legal loopholes and safeguard emergency responders.
In 2020, US Congressman Clay Higgins put forward the Emergency Services Access Act, which criminalises blocking an ambulance from reaching a hospital or interfering with emergency medical care at federal level. His website states: "Violators would face up to 5 years in prison, fines, or both," and "If death results, violators would face imprisonment terms comparable to a first or second-degree murder charge." The legislation was drafted as a response to anti-police protesters who deliberately obstructed hospital entrances following an assassination attempt on two Los Angeles sheriff's deputies.
