15-04-2025
Gaza protesters call on Mass General Brigham to remove Lockheed Martin CEO from its board
NORTHAMPTON — An ambulance pulled into Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton at noon without issue, a garden-variety occurence in daily health care that can't be guaranteed for your average Gazan, a group of protesters said Tuesday.
Demonstrators gathered in front of the hospital to protest 'medicide,' or killing of health care workers in Gaza, and how the Mass General Brigham hospital network is, in their view, contributing to those deaths. They spoke about how the scenes in health care scenes in Northampton and Gaza are in stark contrast.
Last month in Gaza, 15 Palestinian medics were killed by Israeli troops.
'We have access to pristine medical facilities, with all of the medicine in the world, and the very last hospital in Gaza is now out of operation,' said Jennifer Scarlott, a community organizer for Demilitarize Western Massachusetts and River Valley Healthcare for Gaza.
Her two groups held a protest in front of the hospital, a member of the Mass General Brigham hospital network.
Over 1,200 people — including concerned Massachusetts residents, patients and health care workers within the hospital network — have signed a petition calling on the hospital's board of directors to remove one of its members, said Scarlott.
After the protest, the organizers planned to walk into the hospital to hand the administration the petition and a letter with their demands:
to remove James Taiclet, chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin, from the its board;
to create an ethical investment policy for Mass General Brigham;
and to protect workers' rights to speak out, teach and disseminate information about the 'genocide' in Gaza.
Many passing motorists honked or waved in support of the protesters.
Lockheed Martin, an aerospace and defense contractor, has been the subject of several pro-Palestinian protests over the last one-and-a-half years, including a few at Smith College in Northampton last April. The company previously contracted with Israel and received $42 million for F-35 fighter jets for Israel's army in 2019.
'Is it a moral conflict of interest for MGB to have on the board of a health care system a person, James Taiclet, president, chair and CEO of Lockheed Martin, a person who is profiting from the sale of weapons that are day by day, minute by minute, being used, even now, as we speak, to slaughter civilians and health care workers?' said Nick Mottern, one of the organizers at the protest.
The protest, which happened simultaneously with one in Boston, was held on Tax Day for a reason, Scarlott said.
'American taxpayers are funding this genocide,' she said. 'The ancient oath for doctors is to 'Do no harm.' So what is the largest weapons manufacturer doing on the board of the hospital?'
The hospital issued a statement Tuesday afternoon when asked about the protest, but it didn't address global concerns: 'As a health care organization, our focus is on providing high-quality care to all patients who come through our doors. We are committed to caring for our people and maintaining an inclusive culture, where everyone is welcome, safe and valued.'
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