MONTEGO BAY, St James — A Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) official is hailing the individual who captured the footage of the brutal beating of a nurse on May 13, which resulted in nationwide condemnation, and the arrest of the alleged perpetrator.

On Tuesday, scores of health-care workers took to the streets of Montego Bay to protest the vicious attack, which has been widely circulated on social media. Among them was Heather McGrath, third vice-president of the NAJ, and a family nurse practitioner with the St James Public Health Services.

The video of the incident that went viral on social media shows a man physically assaulting the nurse.

Sixty-five-year-old businessman Robert Bell has since been arrested and charged with assault occasioning bodily harm; assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm; assault at common-law; possessing a firearm with intent to commit a first schedule offence; and possession of a firearm with intent to cause injuries.

“I’m happy for that person who took that video of what happened in Kingston,” McGrath told the Jamaica Observer.

The march, from the Montego Bay type five clinic to the historic Sam Sharpe Square, organised by members of the St James health fraternity, saw various health-care practitioners hitting out against violence directed at nurses, and women in general, across the island. McGrath also used the occasion to urge men to seek help when facing personal struggles.

“We are here this morning, just saying to men that women are a heritage from the Lord. They should be loved and be taken care of. And I’m also saying to men, there are times when you have issues, and because you are macho you don’t seek help. So I’m saying to men, if you have issues, talk it over, go to a counsellor,” she said.

Lennox Wallace, parish manager for St James Health Services, was also on hand, rallying full support behind his team. He said the actions of the aggressor in the video was a manifestation of societal ills that have been festering over time.

“I would have seen the video…that gentleman is not just a one-off. I believe that it would have started in the home where they abuse their own wives, their girlfriends, and that it would have been so easy to come on the public road to perpetuate violence against a health-care worker,” Wallace said.

“Now that health-care worker has become a patient, and we are saying to that gentleman and others who continue to perpetuate violence against women, to stop,” he added.

He also used the occasion to urge women to stop suffering in silence out of fear of losing financial support from men.

“Women, walk away from violence producers, walk away from indiscipline. And I’m here today to support my health-care workers,” he said.

Meanwhile, senior public health nurse at the St James Health Department, Jennifer Pearson, said protest action will continue as long as violence against women and children continues.

“We are registering our support against violence which is being perpetuated in the society against our women and our children. We are particularly incensed by what has happened to the nurse in Kingston, and so we will continue to register our protest until this sort of behaviour stops,” Pearson said.

Reports from the police are that on Tuesday, May 13, around 7:15 pm, the nurse was on her way to work when her vehicle was impeded by a vehicle that was being driven by Bell. A dispute ensued between the two individuals, during which the woman was physically assaulted.