Street Medics were born from the civil rights movement in 1960’s and 70’s America. Autonomous health and emergency care was seen as ‘self defence’ as demonstrators and activists were being attacked by the police and had no access to emergency or long term health services (an idea that many street medics see as just as relevant today). They were inherently revolutionary and worked alongside and within groups such as the Black Panthers, the Indian Youth Movement and later with Anti Vietnam War groups.

Street medic collectives: