Bronx ER Nurse Under Investigation for Telling Jews to “Shut the F—k Up!” in Controversial Video

Bronx ER Nurse Under Investigation for Telling Jews to “Shut the F—k Up!” in Controversial Video

Edited by: Fern Sidman

Chris Hernandez, a Bronx ER nurse and social media influencer, is currently under investigation and has been placed on leave after a controversial video surfaced showing him making anti-Semitic comments. According to a report in the New York Post that appeared on Saturday, the 28-year-old nurse, who works at Metropolitan Hospital in Harlem, was seen in the video wearing scrubs and walking through what appeared to be a hospital setting while mocking Jewish people.

NYC – listen as ER nurse Chris Hernandez tells Jews to “shut the f*ck up” and deal with the antisemitism they’re encountering.

Imagine the care he provides to Jewish patients he encounters in the emergency room. pic.twitter.com/HOgR4p7PtV

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) May 5, 2024

In the video, Hernandez made inflammatory remarks, saying, “People be like, ‘I’m scared to go outside because I’m Jewish and everything,’” and then adding, “And I just be like ‘shut the f–k up,’” as was reported by the Post. He continued by comparing the current fears of Jewish people to the historical oppression faced by the LGBTQ+ community, saying, “How you think gay people felt back in the day when they weren’t even allowed to be gay? They hid in the closet and dealt with it. You’ll be alright.”

Indicated in the Post report, the video, shared by advocacy groups “Stop Anti-Semitism” and” Jew Hate Database, “ has drawn widespread condemnation and led to Hernandez being placed on administrative leave by NYC Health + Hospitals.

Hernandez has been employed by NYC Health and Hospitals since 2021, according to his LinkedIn profile, which was taken down after the video went viral, as per the information in the Post report. His social media presence included over 27,000 followers on Instagram and nearly 63,000 on TikTok. Both accounts were deactivated following the backlash from his comments.

In addition to his nursing career, Hernandez has pursued acting. His IMDB profile lists him as having appeared in two films: a documentary called “The Walk-On” and a short film titled “Brooklyn Boys,” as was noted in the Post report. His bio on IMDB states, “His primary focus is in the field of nursing and chooses to have the life of acting on the side, where he wishes to pursue multiple exposures.”

The video sparked widespread outrage, leading to Hernandez being placed on leave by NYC Health and Hospitals. The hospital system has launched an investigation into his conduct. The report in the Post also added that the video quickly went viral, drawing outrage from various quarters. “Stop Anti-Semitism” shared the video on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption: “Listen as ER nurse Chris Hernandez tells Jews to ‘shut the f*ck up’ and deal with the anti-Semitism they’re encountering. Imagine the care he provides to Jewish patients he encounters in the emergency room.”

Responses to the video were swift and damning. “This is not just anti-Semitism,” one commenter noted. “It’s homophobia and anti-Semitism,” the report in the Post said.

The timing of Hernandez’s comments is particularly sensitive, given the recent surge in anti-Jewish incidents. The Post reported that according to NYPD data, such incidents have skyrocketed by 45% since last year, with many occurring after the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas. This context has amplified the outrage against Hernandez, whose remarks are seen as contributing to a hostile environment for Jews everywhere.

NYC Health + Hospitals responded promptly to the controversy, placing Hernandez on administrative leave and launching an investigation into his conduct. According to the information contained in the Post report, in a statement on May 6, the hospital system described the comments as “disturbing” and clarified that they do not represent the values of the organization. “The comments in this video are disturbing, and this employee does not represent the values of our health system,” a spokesperson told The Post. “NYC Health + Hospitals stands for compassionate, humane care with dignity and respect for all people.”

This is not the first time Hernandez has shared controversial views online. Noted in the Post report was that in a May 3 clip, he dismissed accusations of anti-Semitism by stating, “Saying that you are anti-Zionist isn’t anti-Semitic. Checkmate, bitch.” These repeated instances of inflammatory rhetoric have raised further concerns about his suitability for a role in healthcare.