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Anti-capitalist protester threatened hospital nurses after being refused free taxi home


Zion Mitchell swore at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary nurses after being refused a ride home following treatment.


An anti-capitalist protester lashed out at hospital nurses after being refused a free taxi ride home.

Zion Mitchell shouted, swore at and threatened staff who had earlier treated him for a facial injury at the accident and emergency department.

Police were called to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and the 23-year-old was told the NHS and the police were not a free taxi service.

Mitchell, who stays at the People's Cafe occupation in Edinburgh's Bristo Place, had been admitted to the hospital on December 9, 2011, after sustaining a minor facial injury during a night out.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday he prevented staff from tending too their patients as he became aggressive when being discharged the following morning.

Appearing at the court today, he admitted a breach of the peace.

Fiscal depute Pauline Shade said: "Staff were advised the accused was fit for release Two members of staff approached the accused and said he had to leave as there was nothing wrong with him.

"She said he pretended to be asleep when asked to leave at first. He eventually got up and was escorted to the reception area of the hospital. After a few minutes he returned, he was verbally aggressive to staff and security.

"Two nurses who had dealt with the accused earlier came to the reception and tried to calm him down. They were unable to do that.” Mitchell told the nurses he was only going to leave if he was given a free lift home. One nurse said he was “flailing his arms around in an aggressive manner” before they called the police.

He told officers he would not leave unless he was arrested.

Ms Shade told the court: "It was mentioned that the hospital and Lothian and Borders Police were not a free taxi service. He again challenged police to arrest him."

His defence agent Rachel Eady said he had been drinking straight whisky the night before and had been punched in the face.

She said he was told by someone at the scene he would get a free taxi home at the hospital and that was the only reason he went there.

Sheriff Kenneth MacIver deferred sentence until later this month.

http://local.stv.tv/edinburgh/news/2941 ... taxi-home/

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Should have ordered him a Taxi and told the driver to dump him in the river.