Kamala Harris Will Not Be Interrupted and Twitter Is Loving It

Christopher Luu Wed, October 7, 2020

Kamala Harris Will Not Be Interrupted and Twitter Is Loving It

Cardi B, AOC, Lizzo and More Post Strong Reactions to the Presidential Debate

"Do you feel good? Do you feel safe? Do you feel listened to?"

The vice-presidential debates were markedly different from last week's presidential debate in more ways than one. Senator Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence sat down to outline their respective candidates' plans with much less interruption — though a debate isn't a debate without some of that. During one of Harris's responses, Pence tried to speak over her and she responded with a line that trended on Twitter just a few seconds later: "Mister vice president, I'm speaking."

ERIC BARADAT / Contributor
RELATED: Elizabeth Warren on Supporting Friend Kamala Harris for the Vice Presidency: "Woo-hoo!"

Twitter users latched onto the sentiment, applauding Harris for speaking up and pointing out the fact that too often, women get interrupted — so often, in fact, that they sometimes don't even realize it.


SHE SAID “IM SPEAKING” 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 GO OFF SIS, GET EM #Debates2020
— Kayla Cercone (@kcercone16) October 8, 2020


"im speaking, im speaking" pic.twitter.com/Qj70U6MsEE
— 🧑🏽‍🚀 (@spvcemechanic) October 8, 2020



the fact that senator harris just said “excuse me mr vice president im speaking”. i love to see women standing up for themselves. don’t let that dumb white boy interrupt you ladies. what you have to say is important.
— Stella Krone (@StellaKrone) October 8, 2020



“im speaking” 🤣🤣 get em sis #VPDebate pic.twitter.com/xa73nshhnw
— Luc 🏂 (@luciianofuoco) October 8, 2020



“MR VICE PRESIDENT IM SPEAKING, IM SPEAKING!!!”
Drag him Kamala!!!!!!#VPDebate
— Jessica Fyre💫✨ (@TheJessieWoo) October 8, 2020



Men really be too comfortable with talking over women so that “im speaking” was so epic
— Kakarot 🐒 (@__LeslyAlvarez) October 8, 2020



🗣MR VICE PRESIDENT IM SPEAKING! IF YOU DONT MIND LETTING ME FINISH, WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION!!!
- signed by women everywhere #VPDebate
— Jessica Fyre💫✨ (@TheJessieWoo) October 8, 2020



When Kamala said “IM SPEAKING” every single woman felt THAT
— mackenzie (@87kenzie) October 8, 2020

Naturally, the memes came quick and fast.

pence: i-
kamala: Vice President, sir im SPEAKING pic.twitter.com/mnzyUHi4vn
— aj singer (@imajsingerrr) October 8, 2020


She said IM SPEAKING, love to see it!!!#Debates2020 pic.twitter.com/p73w6dqFgm
— arsh (@Arsh_DhillonK) October 8, 2020

SHE SAID IM SPEAKING #VPDebate pic.twitter.com/Z6x2odcO96
— emma🌻 (@emmafilet) October 8, 2020

SKSKSKS KAMALA HARRIS TOLD PENCE “IM SPEAKING” YOU TELL HIM QUEEN pic.twitter.com/HnrJYktLgt

— !Megan! (@morethanpilots) October 8, 2020

SHE FUCKING DID IT AGAIN IM SPEAKING pic.twitter.com/lOHSyw1Y9A

— jah ²⁸ thinks you should vote!! (@fuckingltmlsn) October 8, 2020

Remember, the debate isn't even over yet, so there's no telling whether the interruption will be the highlight or if Harris will manage to break the internet with another knockout move




“I’m Speaking”: How Kamala Harris Won The Debate


Leora Yashari Wed, October 7, 2020


The Vice Presidential debate was perhaps destined to be cursed: From President Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis and allegedly rapid recovery to the two seemingly inadequate pieces of plexiglass separating Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris, it was hard not to straight up anticipate a disaster. And while we knew that a debate without Trump would feel somewhat low-key by comparison, what we weren’t expecting was Harris delivering a masterclass in how to silence a problematic white man.

Kicking off Wednesday night’s festivities with an “I already won”-level of confidence, Harris delivered expert responses to moderator Susan Page’s questions about the Trump administration’s handling of COVID-19. “The American people have witnessed what is the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country,” Harris said, explaining how Trump’s lack of action resulted in frontline workers being treated as “sacrificial.”

Harris also cited the fact that both Trump and Pence understood the repercussions of a COVID-19 spread as early as January 28, but neglected to inform the American people. To this, Pence responded by bringing up the 2009 Swine flu outbreak before suggesting that Harris should “stop playing politics with people’s lives.” Which, ok!!

But while Pence deflected question after question, randomly bringing up Amy Coney Barrett at every turn, Harris stole the show. In a divisive moment when Pence pulled a Trump and audaciously tried to interrupt Harris during her speaking time, she simply stopped, turned in his direction and said: “Mr. Vice President, I’m speaking.”

Pence continued to ramble and attempt to derail Harris, speaking over her (and over her, and over her), and each time, Harris smiled (nay, chuckled) and said “Mr. Vice president, I’m speaking, okay?”

And Harris wasn’t the only woman at the debate who Pence regularly interrupted. Over the course of an hour and a half, Page began to sound like a broken record by repeating the words, “Thank you Mr. Vice President,” to indicate that Pence’s speaking time was up. And when he refused to stop speaking, Page was forced to remind him of the debate rules.

The moment — while absolutely viral-worthy — was more than just a future Saturday Night Live sketch: It showed us what a Vice President looks like. While Pence was prepared to divert answers and speak over literally every person on the debate stage, Harris, one of only four women who have participated in presidential and vice presidential debates, remained calm, deliberate in her answers, and left no room for sexist bait.

“It is within our power, and if we use our power, and if we use our voice, we will win,” Harris said.

The Winner of the Debate Was Kamala Harris’s Sexist-Bashing Squints

Liz Plank Thu, October 8, 2020

Photo credit: Getty Images

From Cosmopolitan

There was a lot to be infuriated about while watching Wednesday’s first and only vice presidential debate between Senator Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence. We saw an old white man emerge from a COVID-19-infested hot zone with what looked like a case of pink eye and a flashy fly as a plus-one repeatedly utter the moderator’s name “Susan” to distract viewers from his incessant interrupting of the woman he was debating and the other woman trying to moderate him. But we also got to see the delight Harris took in shutting down Pence’s pompous sexism.

Every woman watching at home could relate to being subject to the kind of patronizing and self-righteous treatment from men like Pence, but what felt refreshing was the way Kamala Harris seemed to relish the opportunity to respond to it. She delivered some serious squints, followed by a healthy and homicidal dose of side-eye, rapidly shifting to eye rolls and sly, knowing smiles. At certain moments, she broke the fourth wall to stare straight into the camera, silently forming an allegiance with the women watching at home who know firsthand that brand of not-so-subtle misogyny.

Kamala facial expressions are taking me OUT #VPDebate pic.twitter.com/c53Hv5GOwH
— Drebae (@Drebae_) October 8, 2020

Every single woman watching the debate could relate. We all know what it’s like to be stuck in the classic sexist double-bind that demands we be both kind and commanding but punishes us no matter which of these two completely conflicting options we go with. And since that pressure is worse for Black women, who get dubbed the “angry Black woman” no matter what they do or the level of fame or celebrity they ascend to, it felt revolutionary to see Harris, a Black and South Asian woman, greet the smug sexism of a lying, anti-choice white guy with so much unadulterated joy.

Her strategy was genius because it felt like a lesson for every female leader in the workplace. Pence was duplicitous about everything from the coronavirus to health care reform and shockingly wouldn’t promise a peaceful transition of power, but since Harris would have faced backlash for interrupting him as much as he interrupted her, she let her face do the talking. Harris didn’t need to tell us that Pence was bald-faced lying. Her rib-tickling facial expressions screamed it for her.

In addition to facial acts of feminist resistance, Harris often responded with a gentle yet firm “I’m speaking,” a phrase that resonated with so many women. (It’s already a T-shirt.) Harris impressively mastered the art of quiet confidence—something Pence’s running mate could learn a thing about. She navigated sexist power dynamics like a trusted pilot going for a soft landing, steering and maneuvering toward the perfect touchdown without a single bump.

Watching Harris negotiate Pence’s house of lies with so much tact and grace was impressive but also simultaneously infuriating because we know Harris has to work twice as hard as the dude next to her, and her performance was way more likely to receive scrutiny than Pence’s.

Don’t smirk. Don’t shake your head. Don’t smile mockingly. Wait.
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 8, 2020

The good news is that we know Harris’s strong face game worked because several men are already very distressed about it. While we all remember male pundits spending 2016 telling Hillary Clinton to smile harder, they’ve pivoted to attacking Kamala Harris for “over-smiling.” True story.

While women get scorned for smiling or not smiling enough, men get to show up exactly as they are. Men, particularly those who are white straight cis and able-bodied, get to be human. (Remember how Justice Brett Kavanaugh screamed and cried at his Supreme Court nomination hearings? Or even how Joe Biden said “shut up” to Donald Trump at last week’s presidential debate? It’s almost impossible to imagine a woman in either one of those positions employing those reactions without severe backlash.)

Even after Harris’s exceptional showing, men and women saw the outcome of the VP debate quite differently. According to one CNN poll, 69 percent of women gave a clear victory to Harris, but only 48 percent of men who were asked agreed. This frightening gender gap points to the urgent need for men to learn about the unique discrimination against women and become anti-sexists in their workplaces and homes. Or if they’re Mike Pence, they could just stop using their power to restrict the freedoms of women.

While it may have felt affirming to see Harris reclaim her power—and her joy—on the debate stage, it shouldn’t be up to Black women to be superhuman and consistently save themselves and others from systemic poor treatment. It should be up to all of us to shield them from it. After all, behind every successful Black woman is often some white guy calmly gaslighting her, like we saw on Wednesday night. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if behind every white guy calmly gaslighting a successful Black woman there could be millions of people standing up for her so she doesn’t have to?



The best memes from the 2020 vice-presidential debate, from the giant fly on Pence's head to 'I'm speaking'


Palmer Haasch Thu, October 8, 2020

Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris during the vice presidential debate on October 7, 2020 in Salt Lake City, Utah.. 

ERIC BARADAT,ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)

Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic vice-presidential nominee and senator Kamala Harris debated each other on Wednesday night during the 2020 vice-presidential debate.

While the debate was relatively calm in comparison to the previous chaotic debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, it still generated plenty of buzz on social media.

The most-memed moment of the night was when a fly landed and rested on Vice President Pence's head.

On Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic vice-presidential nominee and senator Kamala Harris participated in a 2020 vice-presidential debate that, as Business Insider's Sonam Sheth wrote, was remarkably civil in comparison to the previous debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

While this debate brought a relative lack of chaos compared to its 2020 predecessor, there were still plenty of notable (and memeable) interruptions, facial expressions, one-liners, and insects that generated chatter on social media.

Here are some of the best memes and reactions that surfaced online in the aftermath of the debate.

A fly landed on Vice President Pence's head

If you didn't watch the debate in real-time and chose to catch up on Twitter instead, your biggest takeaway from the event would likely be the massive fly that sat perched on Pence's cleanly arranged white hair.
—Business Insider (@businessinsider) October 8, 2020

Within hours, people were creating Twitter accounts left and right to roleplay as the fly.
—Most Famous Fly (@MikePenceFly) October 8, 2020

The Biden campaign was quick to capitalize oon the viral moment, releasing a new piece of merch within hours of the debate: a $10 fly swatter emblazoned with the slogan "Truth Over Flies."




—Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 8, 2020

Without a doubt, the fly was the main character of the evening.

—Kyle Woods (@_kywo) October 8, 2020

—Keke Palmer (@KekePalmer) October 8, 2020

One TikTok married the debate fly with the viral video of Nathan Apodaca (@420doggface208 on TikTok) vibing to "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac while drinking cranberry juice and longboarding.

@ctr_haha

The fly was vibin ##debates ##saltlakecity ##pence ##lds @420doggface208♬ original sound - ctr_haha

Kamala Harris' facial expressions following Pence's interruptions also played out well on social media

CBS News found that Pence interrupted Harris twice as much as the opposite. As BuzzFeed News reported, Harris' facial expressions throughout the debate and reactions to the interruptions quickly became meme fodder on social media.

"Every woman I know has given this look when some man attempts to mansplain or present an idea that isn't theirs," activist Jamira Burley wrote on Twitter.

—Jamira Burley (@JamiraBurley) October 8, 2020

Many pointed out how Harris' facial expressions were reminiscent of other familiar memes, like the Daenerys Targaryen squint, which is also mirrored in popular meme images of actor Chris Hemsworth as Thor in "Thor: Ragnarok."

—nate zed (@NathanZed) October 8, 2020

—Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) October 8, 2020

As The New York Times' Nick Corasaniti reported, Harris made good use of the debate's split-screen format, which allowed one candidate to react while the other spoke. Harris' reactions proved to be an integral part of her debate performance: not only did they help make her feelings known, but they were also instantly memeable
—Alana Moceri (@alanamoceri) October 8, 2020

Kamala Harris telling Pence 'I'm speaking' after he interrupted her was one of the most buzzed-about moments

During one interruption, Harris' pushed back against Pence, saying, "Mr. Vice President, I'm speaking. I'm speaking."
—CBS News (@CBSNews) October 8, 2020

The line was an instant hit on social media, with many noting how it had resonated with them or how they hoped that it would serve as an example to women and girls who had been talked over by men.

@dinonuggets.jpg

PLEASE♬ original sound - connor



—Uzo Aduba (@UzoAduba) October 8, 2020



—Rev. Jes Kast (@RevJesKast) October 8, 2020



—mackenzie (@87kenzie) October 8, 2020



Calls for "I'm speaking" merch were answered within hours, with shirts, koozies, and other merchandise showing up on sites like Etsy and RedBubble.

Overall, one TikTok from user @anania00 sums up how the debate was reflected on social media: from interruptions to Harris asserting that she was speaking to the fly on Pence's head.

@anania00

##duet with @anania00 SHE ATE THIS UPPPP ##tiktokforbiden♬ original sound - annie


Read more:


The biggest moments from the 2020 vice-presidential debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris


Fact-checking the vice-presidential debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris


A gigantic fly landed and rested on Pence's head during the vice-presidential debate


Mike Pence interrupted Kamala Harris twice as often during the 2020 vice presidential debate, CBS News finds

Read the original article on Insider

Will We Ever Have an Atheist President?

Photo credit: JUSTIN SULLIVAN - Getty Images

Rosa Heyman Wed, October 7, 2020
From Cosmopolitan

At tonight’s debate, Senator and Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris turned to Vice President Mike Pence, outrage simmering behind her (impeccably painted, not that it matters-matters) eyes, and said: “Joe Biden and I are both people of faith and it’s insulting to suggest that we would knock anyone for their faith.” The issue at hand was Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett’s religiosity, and the Senator’s alleged "attacks" on Barrett's beliefs. It’s been reported that the conservative judicial nominee belonged to a religious group called People of Praise, a Christian community in which women were referred to as “handmaids” up until pretty recently. Yeah, so, um.

I don’t believe in God. And I don’t mind, really, that all the Presidents in our country’s history, and certainly in my lifetime, have been openly religious (and entirely Christian), and that “God bless America” is a phrase constantly invoked at the end of most political speeches. But I do mind (and I'm pretty tired of) the fact that faith is a prerequisite for a viable political career in 2020 America.

Unlike those who purport to be "pro" "life," like Pence and Barrett, and so seek to impose their religious beliefs onto my body, I am happy for everyone to enjoy the freedoms of observing and worshipping whomever and however they want—so long as it doesn't come at the persecution of others. Religion is a comfort, and if you need it, have at it. Believe in whatever you'd like! It's a free country, right? But it's also a country in which the separation of church and state, that ol’ chestnut, is law. And yet, in the year 2020, politicians still pay lip service to the concept while also taking great pains to reassure voters that they are decent, God-fearing people just like them. I don't get it.

I mean, I do get it, intellectually. To some, being a person of faith means you’re humble, it means you recognize that there are powers greater than you; if you attend church, it means you value community. It’s a shorthand, a quick way to say “I have morals, thank you for asking.” At least, that’s what we’ve all decided.

Forget that the percentage of Americans who say they are absolutely certain in their belief in God has gradually decreased in recent years, or that in 2018, church membership in the United States reached 50%, an all-time low.

Personally, I'm just ready for something new. I want the next presidential candidate to convince me that their moral code is up to snuff not by placing their hand on a Bible, but by showing me a long track record of fighting for racial justice, working to combat climate change, fixing the ever-increasing wealthy disparity in our country—hell, maybe even being a lil bit pacifist? (Naïve? Maybe, but a girl can dream.)

The thing that really drives me up the wall and makes my brain ooze like lava is the hypocrisy of it all. Donald "the Bible means a lot to me" Trump can't name a single verse. Mike "with God's help, we will restore the sanctity of life to the center of American law" Pence all but forgets his commitment to heartbeats while ripping children away from their parents at the border, or letting over 200,000 people die from the coronavirus. The shallowness of "thoughts and prayers" during moments of national tragedy from the men and women elected, the people who actually have the power to make change and kickstart healing. It's offensive.

We may think of ourselves as “one nation, under god” (that lil phrase was only added to our pledge of allegiance in 1954, btw) but, right now, nothing about our nation is feeling whole, one. Our insistence on religion as a unifying American principle feels just as outdated and illusory as the notion of civility in the White House. And when politicians wield their faith as a means to convince voters that they're "good," it strikes me as downright condescending.

Mother, sisters of Black teen fatally shot by Wisconsin officer arrested at protest

The Associated Press, NBC News•October 9, 2020


MADISON, Wis. — The mother and sisters of a Black teen who was killed by a suburban Milwaukee police officer have been arrested by police who were cracking down on protesters out after a curfew following a decision not to charge the officer.

Alvin Cole's mother, Tracy Cole, and his sisters, Taleavia and Tristiana Cole, were arrested about 8:30 p.m. Thursday along with several others in a church parking lot in Wauwatosa, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

Cole family attorney Kimberley Motley tweeted that Tracy Cole was arrested “for peacefully protesting” and “ended up in the hospital.” Motley later tweeted that Tracy and Tristiana Cole were released from the hospital. Details on why they were at the hospital weren't immediately known.

A Facebook livestream that captured only audio of Tracy Cole was made by a third daughter, the newspaper reported. On a recording of it, Tracy Cole could be heard screaming in pain as she was being arrested, saying police injured her arm, hit her in the head and used a stun gun on her.

Image: Alvin Cole, left. Police Officer Joseph Mensah shot and killed the 17-year-old outside a mall in February, 2020 after receiving a call of a man with a gun in the mall. (Taleavia Cole / AP file)

Wauwatosa police tweeted Thursday night that “several” people were arrested, and said one woman requested medical attention and was taken to a hospital.

The city was under a 7 p.m. curfew during a second night of protests after Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm decided not to charge Wauwatosa Officer Joseph Mensah, who is also Black, with the shooting death of Cole, 17, in February outside Mayfair Mall.

According to investigators’ reports, Cole had a gun and fired it. Chisholm said it appeared he shot himself in the arm. Officers said Cole refused commands to drop the weapon, prompting Mensah to fire.

Motley, the Cole family attorney, has said she plans to file a federal lawsuit against Wauwatosa Police Officer Joseph Mensah.

The death of Alvin Cole was the third fatal shooting by Mensah in the last five years. Mensah shot and killed Antonio Gonzales in 2015 after police said Gonzales refused to drop a sword. A year later Mensah shot Jay Anderson Jr. In that case, Mensah found Anderson in a car parked in a park after hours.

Mensah said he saw a gun on the passenger seat and thought Anderson was reaching for it, so he shot him. Mensah wasn’t charged in either shooting

Police defend arrests of slain Black teen's family

GRETCHEN EHLKE and TODD RICHMOND,
Associated Press•October 9, 2020

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Police on Friday defended the arrests of family members of a Black teen killed by a suburban Milwaukee officer, saying they were driving recklessly during a protest and refused officers' demands to leave their vehicles.

Alvin Cole's mother, Tracy Cole, and his sisters, Taleavia and Tristiana Cole, were arrested Thursday night during the demonstration in downtown Wauwatosa, their attorney, Kimberley Motley, said.

The arrests came as demonstrators gathered in Wauwatosa to protest prosecutors’ decision not to charge Officer Joseph Mensah in the 17-year-old's death. Mensah, who is Black, shot Cole after a foot chase outside a Wauwatosa mall in February.

Protests broke out again Friday for the third consecutive night. More than 100 people gathered outside City Hall past the 7 p.m. curfew and refused police orders to disperse. Roughly an hour later, police lined up in riot gear and began moving toward the crowd while deploying tear gas. Video posted to Twitter by local reporters showed heavy smoke in the air as police advanced, and multiple people taken into custody.


Police tweeted before 9 p.m. that the group had mostly dispersed and those who remained were being arrested. There was no immediate word on how many people were arrested or whether there were injuries. Police said earlier that law enforcement officers were hit with bottles. They also said that at one point protesters were taking trash bins from businesses and moving them into the roadway.

Motley said earlier Friday that Tracy Cole, 48, was treated at a hospital for injuries on her arm and forehead. She initially complained that her arm might be broken, but Motley clarified during a news conference that it was not. Tristiana Cole was also hospitalized but authorities have not indicated why. Motley tweeted that both were later released.

The family was protesting peacefully Thursday and police dragged them from their vehicles, according to Motley, who added that authorities arrested them for no reason. No family members have been cited or charged, she said.

“We all deserve better,” she said. “And we're entitled to better under the law of the United States.”

Wauwatosa police said officers encountered a group of vehicles after the 7 p.m. curfew. The vehicles were traveling across all lanes of traffic and officers used spike strips to stop them and protect other drivers, police said in a Friday statement. Most of the people in the cars were arrested without incident but some refused to get out and were forcibly removed from their vehicles, police said.

Police later said the Cole family was among those arrested and that Tracy and Tristiana Cole reported “minor injuries” and were taken to a hospital. The police did not offer any details on their injuries.

Motley said in a text to The Associated Press that the police account is untrue and is a “pathetic attempt to justify the abuse and unlawful arrest of members of the Cole family.” If the police version of events was true, she said, the family would have been cited or charged.

“Since when do people get dragged and beaten up for a traffic violation,” she said in the text. “This is America. Shame on them.”

The police statement said investigators were reviewing the incident and that citations and charges would follow.

Cole was the third person Mensah has killed on the job since he became a Wauwatosa officer in 2015. He shot Antonio Gonzales in 2015 after police said Gonzales refused to drop a sword. A year later, Mensah shot Jay Anderson Jr. in a car parked in a park after hours. Mensah said he saw a gun on the passenger seat and thought Anderson was reaching for it. He was cleared of wrongdoing in each case.

The city's police commission suspended Mensah in July and asked former U.S. Attorney Steven Biskupic to review the Cole case with an eye toward possible discipline. Biskupic's report Wednesday recommended Mensah be fired, saying the risk of a fourth shooting is too great.

Hours later Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm, who is white, cleared Mensah of any criminal wrongdoing in Cole's death. Chisholm’s report noted that officers said Cole pointed a gun at officers and refused to drop it. Chisholm said Mensah could successfully argue he fired in self-defense.

Motley has vowed to file a civil rights lawsuit against Mensah.

The protests in Wauwatosa are just the latest in a series of demonstrations against police racism and brutality that have erupted across the country since George Floyd’s death. Floyd, who was Black, died in May after a white police officer in Minneapolis pressed his knee into his neck as Floyd gasped that he couldn’t breathe.

The mostly peaceful protests in Wauwatosa have turned violent at times, with demonstrators breaking windows and looting at least one store, and National Guard troops patrolling the city. Public pressure has mounted on the Wauwatosa police commission to fire Mensah quickly.

“Helicopters are circling above us, the National Guard is deployed on our streets, a curfew is preventing us from walking outside in our own yards, businesses are boarded up, there’s broken glass on our streets, families are marching and mourning the loss of their loved ones, police officers are at risk and none of us know what tomorrow will bring,” Milwaukee County Supervisor Shawn Rolland, who represents parts of Wauwatosa, said in a statement. “If this commission can accelerate its deliberative work, our people, businesses and neighborhoods can begin to heal faster.”

A decision on discipline isn't expected until at least November.

A Facebook livestream that captured only audio of Tracy Cole was made by a third daughter. She could be heard screaming in pain as she was being arrested, saying police injured her arm, hit her in the head and used a stun gun on her.

“I’m Mrs. Cole, Alvin’s mother,” she screamed repeatedly as officers pulled her out of her car.

“I can’t believe y’all did this to me. Y’all killed my son,” she yelled at the officers.

___

Richmond reported from Madison, Wisconsin.

VIDEO

https://news.yahoo.com/mother-sisters-slain-black-teen-120223066.html

One person arrested after man is shot dead at Denver rallies

Reuters, The Telegraph•October 11, 2020

A man holds up his hands as he is taken into custody after allegedly fatally shooting another man in Denver, Colorado - Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

A man was fatally shot in the United States on Saturday during protests by Left- and Right-wing groups in downtown Denver.

Police arrested a suspect they said was working as a private security guard.

An NBC News affiliate, KUSA-TV, said on its website that the man arrested for the shooting was a security guard hired by the television station to provide protection to its crew.

"It has been the practice of (KUSA) for a number of months to hire private security to accompany staff at protests," the station said.

The shooting took place in a courtyard at the Denver Art Museum during a so-called “Patriot Rally” that was met by counter-protests by groups who dubbed their rally a “BLM-Antifa Soup Drive”.

A man sprays mace, left, as another man fatally fires a gun - Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via AP

With mace still in the air a man falls to the ground as he is fatally shot by the man at right in Denver - Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Denver Police Chief of Investigations Joe Montoya would not confirm if the suspect worked for the station.

Neither the victim nor the suspected shooter has been identified by authorities.

Chief Montoya said police kept the two groups separated, and there were no other arrests during the competing rallies.

A photographer for the Denver Post captured an image of a man spraying a chemical agent at another man with a drawn hand gun.

One dead in shooting at dueling Denver protests


Jordan Freiman,CBS News•October 10, 2020

One person was shot and killed Saturday during dueling protests in Denver, Colorado, police said. Two people, including one suspect, have been taken into custody.

The shooting occurred near the Denver Art Museum as two opposing groups were holding rallies in the area. Denver police said the suspect is "a private security guard with no affiliation with Antifa." Police said both people taken into custody are white males.

NBC affiliate 9news reports that the suspect being detained by police is a private security guard hired by the station. The station also reports the second person taken into custody was a 9news producer who has since been released.

Police said they recovered a mace canister from the scene. Video of the shooting posted to social media appears to show a cloud of mace being sprayed right before the shot is fired.

The man who was killed appears to have been part of what was billed as a "Patriot Muster." The event page for that rally stated "BLM, Antifa, and related Marxist associations are assaulting everything we love and cherish about this country!"

In response, left-wing groups planned a counter rally which they called a "BLM-ANTIFA Soup Drive."

Due to ongoing unrest throughout the country and violence that erupted at earlier events in the city, Denver business owners were warned of the possibility of violence prior to Saturday's protests.


One Dead as Gunfire Erupts Amid Dueling Rallies in Denver

Allison Quinn, Carol McKinley, The Daily Beast•October 10, 2020

Denver Police

A man was shot dead as rival rallies played out between far-right groups and Black Lives Matter protesters in Denver on Saturday.

Despite tensions running high between the dueling protests, however, police say the suspected shooter was not a protester, but a “private security guard.” The victim, who has not been identified, was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries, Denver police confirmed.

The shooting is being investigated as a homicide. Two male suspects were taken into custody right after the incident, but only one of them remained in custody on suspicion of involvement as of Saturday evening, Joe Montoya, the Denver police division chief of investigations, told local media. Amid growing speculation about whether the shooting had a political motive, the police department issued a statement late Saturday noting the suspect had “no affiliation with Antifa.”

Local news station KUSA Channel 9 confirmed that the suspect in police custody was a private security guard hired by the station to accompany Channel 9 staff to the protest.

Police said they had yet to determine if the victim was participating in the nearby protests. The shooting happened in the courtyard of the Denver Art Museum, not far from where hundreds of activists from the far-right and Black Lives Matter had been facing off on Saturday afternoon.

Denver Police public information officer Ana Munoz told The Daily Beast the shooting stemmed from an argument that broke out at 3:40 p.m. in the Denver Art Museum. “The argument turned violent,” Munoz said. “The victim was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.”

Update: This shooting is now being investigated as a Homicide. Updates will be posted as information comes available.
— Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) October 10, 2020

A video said to be taken from the scene at the time of the shooting captured the gunfire and the shooting in the distance. After a shot rang out, police officers could be seen rushing to the area as bystanders screamed in horror and yelled, “He’s got a gun!” A man could be seen lying on the ground as authorities handcuffed two other people nearby.



Potato video, but here is the person shooting the gun at the #Denverprotests, and the scene after (Denver, CO) pic.twitter.com/N1FksCXWiW

— Kitty Shackleford (@KittyLists) October 10, 2020

The incident capped off a day of tensions in the city, after one set of protesters hosted a “BLM-Antifa Soup Drive” and right-wing groups gathered nearby in response for what was dubbed a “Patriot Muster.” Far-right demonstrators appeared ready to do battle at the event, wielding shields and wearing helmets, but only isolated clashes and screaming matches were reported between the two sides until the gunfire erupted.

A day before the event, the organizer of the Patriot Rally, John Tiegen did an interview with the Steffan Tubbs Show where he was quoted saying of the rally: “I’m not going in there to do violence, but I’m going to be prepared to do violence.”

Tiegen had organized the event after the left-wing Soup Drive event was already planned by groups including the Denver Communists, HOES (Help on Every Street), the Denver Boulder Socialist Revolution, the Anon Resistance Movement, the Front Range Mutual Aid Network, and WITCH, (or Women's International Troublemaker Conspiracy from Hell).

Tiegen had also posted an Instagram video the day of the event, saying: “They call us the aggressors, the oppressors, We need to do more friggin Patriotic Musters and shoving it in their face. ….They don’t want nothing but oppression, Communism, Socialism, and all that does is take away your individuality…We can’t be afraid. We can’t be scared. We got to stand up. We gotta fight back. We gotta push back.”

Ahead of the rallies, the Denver Police Department said it would respect “the right to peacefully assemble” but urged those participating to “do so in a lawful manner.”

BACKGROUNDER

White House aides fear Trump's medications have triggered manic behavior: report


Cody Fenwick, Salon•October 9, 2020

A stunning report in the New York Times Thursday night described President Donald Trump lashing out and demanding his own appointees prosecute his enemies, an egregious breach of norms and real and present danger to American democracy. Most shocking of all was the fact that this largely wasn't some anonymously sourced bombshell — most of the comments the Times' report was based on Trump made publicly

But far down in the report was a notable nugget about the White House that wasn't based on publicly available information. According to the Times reporters, Trump's own aides are worried that his manic and erratic public behavior this week may be a result of his illness and the medications he's been taking:

White House aides privately expressed concern about whether the president's animated mood in recent days stemmed from the dexamethasone. Doctors not involved with the president's care said it could have a significant effect on a patient's behavior.


As I've reported, the president's public behavior since taking the steroid dexamethasone has genuinely seemed even more heightened and frantic than is typical for him. I argued that there are multiple explanations for the president's temperament, none of which are particularly comforting.

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Trump was one of the first 10 patients to get an experimental COVID-19 treatment under special use

Unfortunately, the president's physician, Dr. Sean Conley, has proven utterly unreliable about Trump's health. He's refused to answer many questions and admitted to skirting the truth in order to provide an "upbeat" picture of the president's condition. But the Times's report suggested experts and those around the president are highlighting the possibility that the steroids could be significantly altering his mood:

Dr. Negin Hajizadeh, a pulmonary/critical care physician at Northwell Health, noted that the majority of Covid patients receiving dexamethasone are on mechanical ventilation and in a state of induced coma, so they do not exhibit any behavioral side effects. But, she said, large studies show that generally 28 to 30 percent of patients will exhibit mild to moderate psychiatric side effects like anxiety, insomnia, mania or delirium after receiving steroid treatments, and about 6 percent may develop psychosis.

"When we prescribe steroids we warn our patients: 'This may cause you to feel jittery, might cause you to feel irritable,'" Dr. Hajizadeh said. "We will tell family members, especially for our older patients, 'This may cause insomnia, this may cause changes in eating habits and, in extreme cases, mania and impaired decision making.'"

It's hard to overstate how serious this is. In addition to the usual national security concerns that arise when the stability of the president's mental state is in question, he currently has the power to impact people's lives in myriad ways. He's negotiating future plans for debating his Democratic opponent Joe Biden, trying to set up new campaign events while he may still be infectious, and he's thrown discussions about a potential second stimulus package into chaos. The president is hardly the picture of stability under normal circumstances, but the prospect that drug-induced mania may be affecting his decision-making at this time is unacceptable.

That's why many have argued he should have already invoked the 25th Amendment to transfer power to Vice President Mike Pence until it's clear he's through his case of COVID-19 and can carry out his duties unimpeded by the infection or its treatment. In light of his behavior and his own aides' reported concerns, it should be a much bigger deal that the president has refused to relinquish control his office.

Trump's COVID-19 steroid treatment could be 'dangerous,' warn experts

Abby Haglage Wed, October 7, 2020

President Trump has been released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center but is still reportedly receiving treatment for COVID-19 — treatment that has many in both the medical and political world sounding the alarm. According to reports from his team at Walter Reed, Trump has been given a cocktail of drugs that includes the antiviral remdesivir, an unapproved antibody treatment made by Regeneron and a corticosteroid called dexamethasone.

It’s a combination that, experts say, isn’t just unusual — it’s unheard of. “Nobody gets this cocktail of drugs,” Dr. Benhur Lee, a professor of microbiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, tells Yahoo Life. “Regeneron’s cocktail is currently in clinical trials; the trial criteria excludes people [taking] remdesivir — otherwise, how else would one learn about the efficacy of the antibody cocktail?”

Dexamethasone in particular, says Lee, is a worrisome addition. “Dexamethasone is a potent steroid (anti-inflammatory) that is used only in the late phase of severe COVID-19 because by then, the runaway inflammation (and not the virus replication itself) is the culprit,” Lee says. “Using dexamethasone too early in the disease course is dangerous because it could potentially tamper down your own immune response to the virus.”

Doctors aren’t the only ones warning the American public about Trump’s medical regimen. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., made an appearance on The Rachel Maddow Show on Tuesday where she raised red flags about the president taking a drug that could alter not only his mood but his decision making. “The president is not in a good condition,” said Ocasio-Cortez. “I don’t think that we should be making any large political decisions when the president is in such a perilous medical state. He’s still receiving interventions and treatments and we’re in the middle of talking about, and making, dramatic decisions.”

The White House did not respond to Yahoo Life’s request for comment on Trump’s treatment, and — as of yet — there have been no reports about Trump’s health worsening. The president has not commented publicly on questions about his ability to lead. But even if dexamethasone helps him combat COVID-19, doctors worry that the trade-off may be, at best, confusion, and, at worst, psychosis.

The drug, a popular and affordable corticosteroid, gained attention in early September when the World Health Organization issued a statement urging doctors to prescribe it “for the treatment of patients with severe and critical COVID-19.” The recommendation was timed to a meta-analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which found the drugs could reduce mortality rates for severely ill COVID-19 patients by a third.

But there are reasons that doctors reserve it for those who are critically ill. The drugs, according to the Mayo Clinic, “mimic the effects of hormones your body produces naturally in your adrenal glands.” This allows them to reduce inflammation but also can lead to side effects such as “elevated pressure in the eyes (glaucoma), fluid retention, swelling in your lower legs, high blood pressure and weight gain.”

Physical side effects, however, aren’t the only concern. On Twitter, both epidemiologists and critical care doctors warned that psychological effects can be a factor as well. Dr. Megan Ranney, an emergency physician at Brown University, says that the president’s mental state could be affected by the drugs. “There is certainly a chance that he could experience side effects,” Ranney tells Yahoo Life. “At least one-fourth of people his age develop mania, delirium or even frank psychosis; and the majority of people getting [this type of corticosteroid] develop euphoria and sleeplessness.”

Ranney points to a 2006 meta-analysis from the Mayo Clinic that found that adverse psychiatric effects can occur in anywhere from 1 percent to more than 60 percent of those who take corticosteroids. The authors concluded that “corticosteroid-induced psychiatric disturbances are common and include mania, depression, psychotic or mixed affective states, cognitive deficits, and minor psychiatric disturbances (irritability, insomnia, anxiety, labile mood).”

As a result of these facts, some have theorized that Trump’s exceedingly upbeat mood upon being released from the hospital — including a tweet saying he felt better than he did “20 years ago” — may be a side effect of the medicine. Ranney agrees. “I am worried about both the mental health and physical side effects,” she says.

The unease is something other experts have shared too. Talking to MSNBC on Tuesday, Dr. Robert Wachter, chair and professor of the department of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, said mental effects in older people are especially common. “Dexamethasone frequently [causes] mood swings, even manic-ness, euphoria, but COVID can also alter your thinking. And particularly in elderly people. When an older person comes into a hospital and they’re not thinking clearly, they’re confused, the first thing we think about is an infection,” said Wachter. “So for a 74-year-old man to have symptomatic COVID, low blood oxygen — which can also alter your thinking — and be on dexamethasone, it certainly raises the possibility that his thinking is altered.”

Prior to receiving treatment for COVID-19, the president had repeatedly lied about Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden taking performance-enhancing drugs. There is no evidence for that claim — but ironically, Trump now finds himself on a performance-enhancing drug. Dexamethasone, while typically given to reduce an inflammatory overreaction, has also been used by athletes as a way to improve performance.

While it’s unclear exactly how long Trump will remain on dexamethasone, Ranney says that one comforting thing is that any mental instability the drugs produce will not be lasting. “On the bright side, many of these stop when the dose of medications are stopped,” she says.

BACKGROUNDER 

'They dictate their care': VIP syndrome may be behind Trump's discharge from Walter Reed, expert says

Abby Haglage Tue, October 6, 2020

President Trump has returned to the White House after spending three days at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for symptoms of COVID-19, which one expert says may indicate he’s getting special treatment. In press briefings over the weekend, his physician Dr. Sean Conley sent mixed messages about his state — at first insisting that he was “doing very well” and later revealing that he experienced a high fever and two periods of low oxygen levels.

Trump himself sought assure supporters on Sunday, making an “unannounced exit” from Walter Reed to circle the hospital while masked in an armored car. While the president continues to assert that his hospital stay was a success, some experts say the situation bears resemblance to a well-known and dangerous phenomenon called “VIP syndrome.”

President drives past supporters in a motorcade outside of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Sunday. (Alex Edelman/AFP)

Jennifer Perrone McIntosh, an assistant professor of nursing at Farmingdale State College in New York, published a study on the phenomenon in 2019 after years of having to provide special treatment to high-profile patients — something she recognizes in Trump’s care. “The care that he’s receiving is totally in line with VIP syndrome,” McIntosh tells Yahoo Life. “When a VIP patient presents to a health care facility, the rules are bent; they’re being treated completely differently than the general patient population.” The fact that Trump has been released from the hospital, she says, is a clear sign that he’s receiving special treatment.

The term VIP syndrome itself dates back to a 1964 paper written by Dr. Walter Weintraub, a psychiatrist and professor at the University of Maryland, who expressed concern that the psychiatric hospital in which he was working had been “thrown into turmoil” by the demands of influential patients. “The treatment of an influential man can be extremely hazardous for both patient and doctor,” Weintraub wrote.

Today, the term is used by medical professionals to describe the danger in treating an individual with access, power or wealth at a health care facility. “The care of ‘Very Important Patients’ (VIPs) is often qualitatively different from other patients because they may receive greater access, attention, and resources from health care staff,” wrote Dr. David Alfandre in the 2016 paper Caring for ‘Very Important Patients’ – Ethical Dilemmas and Suggestions for Practical Management.

Alfandre noted that while “VIP” may imply these individuals receive better treatment, many times it’s the opposite. “In spite of these perceived benefits, the quality of their care may be inferior because health care staff may be more likely to deviate from standard practices when caring for them.”

Reports about Trump’s care, which have come mostly from press briefings, suggest an atypical experience. On top of being released after three days in the hospital, while still in the midst of treatment, he’s reportedly received multiple experimental treatments — including the antiviral remdesivir, an unapproved monoclonal antibody therapy and a corticosteroid known as dexamethasone. The three are rarely (if ever) given together and are typically reserved for serious illness.

McIntosh says all of this aligns with VIP syndrome, which can lead to both too much and too little care. “VIP syndrome means patients are either undertreated or overtreated. So they may be undertreated, meaning the health care team may feel uncomfortable asking them to go for certain tests, or they could be overtreated and get the opposite,” says McIntosh. “Based on what I’m hearing about what's happening currently with our president, it sounds as though he may be the recipient of both.”

She says that receiving multiple experimental drugs, including one that is not FDA approved, is a good example of being overtreated, and that “being discharged from the hospital already, that would be an example of undertreatment.” While this syndrome is potentially dangerous for patients themselves (some believe that celebrity deaths like that of Prince may be linked to VIP syndrome), it also negatively affects the health care staff involved — nurses in particular.

“We have an ethical code of conduct we have to follow whereby we’re told to respect patient autonomy, to treat everybody equal and not to differentiate care based on somebody’s race, gender or socioeconomic status,” says McIntosh. “So we’re being told really to practice unethically.” Currently teaching her students about the dangers of the syndrome, McIntosh hopes that things may change. But when it comes to individuals like Trump, she knows what it feels like.

“The health care team listens to them, they feel intimidated, and that’s part of the VIP syndrome — they use their power,” says McIntosh. “They use it to exert pressure on the team and say, ‘This is what I want and no, I don’t want this.’ If they don’t want this X-ray, they won’t get it. If they want to get this discharged early, then they’re getting discharged early. They dictate their care.”

Poisonous furry caterpillars that look like wigs are popping up in Virginia

Aylin Woodward,Business Insider•October 10, 2020

A furry puss caterpillar, the larva stage of the southern Flannel moth, Megalopyge opercularis. IrinaK/Shutterstock


The furry puss caterpillar, the larval stage of the southern flannel moth, is one of the most poisonous caterpillars in the US.


According to the Virginia Department of Forestry health team, these caterpillars have been spotted in the eastern part of the state.


The puss caterpillar's hairy coat hides venomous spines — its sting can send people to the hospital.


The health team warned Virginians to "#SocialDistance away from this caterpillar!"

No matter how cute and fuzzy this critter looks, don't touch it.

This toupée-like insect is one of the most poisonous caterpillars in the US. Named the furry puss caterpillar —perhaps for its resemblance to less venomous house cats— people who brush up against its hairy coat have a painful reaction.

And according to the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF), there have been reports of the puss caterpillar in a few eastern Virginia counties.

"#SocialDistance away from this caterpillar!" the VDOF wrote on its Facebook Tuesday.

The caterpillars can fall from trees and lodge in people's clothes

The insect's fuzzy veneer hides venomous spines. As the caterpillars grow in size, before they change into equally fuzzy southern flannel moths, their venom becomes more toxic.

Southern flannel moth after emerging from its cocoon. Brett Hondow/Shutterstock

Their painful sting is followed by swelling and redness, but those who get stung may also experience symptoms like headaches, fever, nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, seizure, and in rare cases, abdominal pain, according to a 2005 paper published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Some people may even experience multiple stings because the caterpillars can fall from trees and become lodged in clothes, "particularly shirt collars," the authors wrote.

The Florida Poison Information Center (FPIC) recommends treating puss caterpillar stings by placing scotch tape over the sting, then peeling it off to remove the spines.
Its sting can send people to the hospital

A puss caterpillar, the larva stage of the southern Flannel moth, Megalopyge opercularis. Wikimedia Commons

In 2018, a puss caterpillar dropped from a tree onto 5-year-old Adrie Chambers who was playing in the yard of her Texas Daycare.

Chambers's arm went numb, and she was rushed to the hospital where she was treated with steroids and made a full recovery.

A Florida teenager also got stung in 2018 and was hospitalized shortly after. His mother published a Facebook post about her son's sting, which was reportedly shared hundreds of thousands of times. And in May 2017, a mom recalled hearing a "blood-curdling scream" after her 5-year-old son stepped on one of the caterpillars.

Outbreaks of puss caterpillar stings even prompted public school closures in Texas in 1923 and 1951.

The puss caterpillar is found on the East Coast between Florida and New Jersey, but its habitat extends as far west as Arkansas and Texas, according to a guide published by the University of Florida's Entomology Department.

According to the VDOF, the caterpillars eat oak and elm leaves but can be found in parks or near structures.

Ren Oliver's family spotted one of the furry insects on a deck when eating dinner in Tappahannnock in early September.

"My 5-year-old son saw it and said, 'Don't anyone touch it! It's probably poisonous!'" Oliver told Business Insider.

A furry puss caterpillar on a deck in Tappahannnock, VA, September 2, 2020. Courtesy of Ren Oliver

After reading about how venomous they are, Oliver's father picked up the caterpillar with paper towels and flung it in a nearby river.

"Thankfully we escaped it but it was the wildest looking thing and so appropriate for 2020. Just bizarre," Oliver said.

Caroline Praderio contributed reporting to this story.

Forestry officials warn to 'social distance' from hairy-looking caterpillars

Francesca Gariano, NBC News•October 10, 2020

Attention Virginia residents! Beware the fluffy and hairy-looking caterpillar that has been crawling around the eastern part of the state.

The puss caterpillar, which transforms into the southern flannel moth when it becomes an adult, may resemble a tiny toupee, but it’s actually one of the most venomous caterpillars in the United States according to a profile by Donald W. Hall, professor emeritus of University of Florida's Entomology and Nematology Department.

The Virginia Department of Forestry has been receiving reports of recent sightings and issued a warning on Tuesday with a photo of one of the caterpillars. The department told Virginians in a Facebook post to “#SocialDistance away from this caterpillar!

“The ‘hairs’ of this caterpillar are actually venomous spines that cause a painful reaction if touched. The caterpillars eat oak and elm leaves, but they can be found in parks or near structures."

Within the caterpillar's spines is a venom gland at the base. A person who has been stung may experience burning pain that is followed by a red pattern on the skin, similar to the arrangement of the venomous spines on the caterpillar. Hall also wrote that in addition to localized symptoms, headache, fever, nausea, vomiting and low blood pressure may also occur depending on the severity of the sting. If you are stung, experts recommend calling your doctor and using tape to remove any broken spines from your skin.

In its post, the Virginia Department of Forestry advises, "If you find the caterpillar, leave it alone and let its natural enemies control their populations— there are a number of other insects that will prey on them at different stages of their life cycle.”

The puss caterpillars vary in size from 1.2 to 1.4 inches and are typically found in southern states such as Virginia, but are most common in Arkansas, Florida, and Texas.

Dr. Tim Kring, the head of the Department of Entomology at Virginia Tech, told TODAY that while Virginia is in the northern range of where it commonly occurs, it’s “not unusually numerous” this year.

“Like all insects, you’ll have a year where there’s more of them one year and less the next,” he said. “We might be in a little bit of a more (year), but it’s certainly not an unusual year at all for us.”

So why are Virginians coming across these caterpillars more often in recent months?

“In the fall, they’re getting ready to turn into moths and they’ll drop to the ground and pupate,” Dr. Kring explained. “And that’s when you’d probably see them. It’s called the wandering stage where they’re getting ready to turn into the moth.”

Ren Oliver encountered a puss caterpillar last month in Tappahannock, Virginia. (Courtesy of Ren Oliver)

Ren Oliver, 38, from Harrisonburg, Virginia, had a near brush with one of the caterpillars on Sept. 2 while she was enjoying a family dinner outside.

“We were sitting outside on the deck eating dinner in Tappahannock, Virginia,” Oliver told TODAY via e-mail. “My 5-year-old son saw it and said ‘Don’t anyone touch it! It’s probably poisonous!’”

Oliver continued, “Since then, I’ve heard of two people getting stung by them and heard it was excruciating. Thankfully, we escaped it but it was the wildest-looking thing and so appropriate for 2020.”

While this species isn't invasive and doesn't target humans, if you come across a puss caterpillar when you’re exploring outside, it’s best not to interact with it.

“I would say, leave them alone," Dr. Kring said. "They’re not considered a pest to plants, so there’s no reason to kill it. They don’t prefer to be near humans. Once they find that place (to pupate), then you won’t see them anymore.”

Health officials in Virginia are warning about venomous caterpillars that look like toupées

Korin Miller, Yahoo Life•October 9, 2020


Photo: Facebook/Virginia Department of Forestry
Hairy, Venomous Caterpillars Spotted In Virginia, Officials Warns Residents To Stay Away

Months after the invasion of murder hornets in the Pacific Northwest, health officials in Virginia are warning residents to be on the lookout for a new bug menace — a venomous breed of hairy caterpillar that has been spotted in the eastern part of the state. The Virginia Department of Forestry shared the warning on Facebook earlier this week, along with a photo of the caterpillar, which is covered in human-like hair.

“VDOF’s forest health team has received reports of the puss caterpillar in a few eastern Virginia counties,” read the Oct. 6 post. While the bug looks like a harmless, discarded toupée, the VDOF says that the “hairs” on the caterpillar “are actually venomous spines that cause a painful reaction if touched.”

The Virginia Department of Forestry says people should avoid the venomous pus caterpillar. 

The puss caterpillar, which is one of the most venomous caterpillars in the U.S., is the larva stage of the Southern flannel moth known as Megalopyge opercularis, Nancy Troyano, Ph.D., a board certified entomologist and director of operations education and training for Ehrlich Pest Control, tells Yahoo Life. “These caterpillars have a dense covering of fine hairs that range in color from tan to dark brown and gray,” she says.

Puss caterpillars are most commonly found in the southeastern and south central portion of the U.S., although Troyano says they have been reported as far north as New Jersey and Missouri. “They can be found as far west as Texas and Arkansas,” Ben Hottel, technical services manager for Orkin, LLC, a pest control company, tells Yahoo Life. “These moths can be common in these areas, but are most abundant in Texas.”

But, while they’re toxic to people, puss caterpillars seem to cross paths with humans often. “Among the 11 species of this family of moths in North America, the southern flannel moth is the most commonly encountered by humans,” Troyano says.

The puss caterpillar is toxic because it’s covered in venomous spines that are hidden beneath its hair coat, Hottel explains. “They use this venom to defend against predators that might want to eat them,” he says.

“When handled, these poisonous spines will break off when they come into contact with skin and release a toxin,” Troyano says. “That can cause a severe and painful reaction.”

The caterpillars don’t target humans — they eat oak and elm leaves, according to the VDOF — but they can be found in parks or near structures where people might be, raising the risk of an accidental encounter.

According to Troyano, puss caterpillars can cause the following symptoms if you come into contact with them: a burning sensation where the spine contacted the skin, localized swelling, red, blotching appearance of the skin, nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps, swollen glands or fever

Several people have described intense pain after coming into contact with a puss caterpillar. In August, one woman in Florida told Fox13 that one brushed up against her arm after an outdoor workout, causing painful red welts to form on her arm. She said it took hours for the pain to ease.

And last month, a Virginia woman landed in the ER after a puss caterpillar that was resting on her car door brushed against her leg. “It felt exactly like a scorching-hot knife passing through the outside of my calf,” Crystal Spindel Gaston told The Daily Progress. “Before I looked down to see where it came from, I thought 100 percent I was going to see a big piece of metal, super sharp, sticking out from my car.” Gaston, who went to the hospital for treatment, said it took three days before she started to feel normal again.

The puss caterpillar also was to blame for a case report published in the journal Cureus that described a 14-month-old boy who developed a red rash on his leg after sitting in a park with his parents. It spread and was treated with antihistamine drugs.

If you spot a puss caterpillar in your yard or on your home, Troyano says you shouldn’t panic. “In general, puss caterpillar populations are kept under control by natural enemies,” she says. “However, if you are seeing multiple caterpillars in your yard, you should contact a pest control company for help.”

And if you come into contact with a puss caterpillar, Troyano recommends immediately washing the affected area with soap and water. Then, remove any broken spines that are in your skin with cellophane tape. “Seek medical attention and for signs of anaphylactic shock,” Troyano says.