New Delhi: Indian-American Rahul Dubey emerged as an overnight hero in the US after he sheltered nearly 70 protesters in his house in Washington D.C. Monday night.
The US has witnessed violent protests in the past week, after the death of 46-year-old George Floyd in Minneapolis. The African-American man died after a white policeman pressed a knee into his neck for more than eight minutes, ignoring the former’s repeated pleas that he could not breathe.
Dubey, a 44-year-old first generation Indian-American, opened the door of his house when he heard a big wave of protesters trying to escape pepper spray and tear gas attack by the police.
He had already been allowing protesters to use his washroom and charge their phones, but after the police’s attack, he asked the protesters to take refuge in his house.
“There was a big bang, there was spray—my eyes started burning—I heard screaming like I’ve never heard before,” Dubey told a local news channel.
“I was yelling ‘get in, get in the house’ for about ten minutes,” he said. “They were spraying pepper spray into people’s backs and the side of their head. It was pandemonium and mayhem inside for about an hour and a half.”
Tense situation on Swann Street in DC. Cops surrounded protesters and started firing pepper spray. A resident let more than 100 protesters take shelter in his home. “I’m not letting any of these kids out of my sight,” he told me over the phone. pic.twitter.com/Bk6NOIbAwf
— Derek Hawkins (@D_Hawk) June 2, 2020
I’m at a house in DC after being pepper sprayed and knocked down by the police. There are about 100 of us in a house surrounded by cops. All the neighbors on this street opened their doors and are tending to protesters. The cops corralled us on this street and sprayed us down.
— Allison Lane (@allieblablah) June 2, 2020
According to Dubey, the police tried to pull the protesters out multiple times but could not succeed. They also faked a 911 call, claiming that someone had called them, he said.
Dubey added that the police were shooting pepper spray in through the window as well. “There was mayhem for about an hour and fifteen minutes, and then as soon as I stepped onto the front porch, [the police] said, ‘Get back in the house, or we’ll put you down’.”
The protesters left Dubey’s home when the district’s new curfew ended at 6 am.
Also read: Lewis Hamilton, CNN anchor Don Lemon call out people for silence on George Floyd killing
‘I did nothing special’
The incident has turned Dubey into a local protest hero with a massive outpouring of praise on social media. He, however, told The Washington Post, that he did not believe what he did was was anything “special”.
“I just opened a door. What they did was special. There’s nothing special about what I did,” he said.
Dubey has been living in the US for over 17 years and owns a healthcare innovation company, America’s Health Insurance Plan (AHIP). He is a graduate in business and international politics from the University of Michigan.
In an interview, he said he hopes that his 13-year-old son grows up to be “just as amazing as they are”.
“I hope they continue to fight and protest peacefully,” he added.
Meanwhile, protesters who spent the night at Dubey’s house and other people on social media have praised him for his courage.
Rahul Dubey: the man who sheltered 70 DC protesters last night while police surrounded his home. A legend showing love, compassion, and sheltering his peers from violence.https://t.co/YoG3p6YMRb pic.twitter.com/P2SS4b6CIi
— Sorry, Wrong Alan (@HaoDoesThisWork) June 2, 2020
Rahul Dubey in Washington DC is my hero. Your offspring will have favor in their path.
— Tope Ojetunde (@stopyra9) June 3, 2020
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also praised Dubey and thanked him for what he did for the protesters.
Thank you Rahul Dubey for opening your heart and your home to the weak and the oppressed.https://t.co/L5pCf7bXVV
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 3, 2020
Also read: Protests hammer US cities that are still recovering from coronavirus and lockdown