Ep 17. Sticks and Stones

In ER season 5 episode 17 "Sticks and Stones," tensions run high at County General Hospital as a group of protesters gather outside, demanding justice for a young boy who was shot by a police officer. The protestors clash with police, and the ER staff must treat multiple injuries resulting from the violence.

Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards) struggles to keep his emotions in check as he tends to the injured protestors, including a young girl who has been hit by a rubber bullet. Meanwhile, Carter (Noah Wyle) discovers that a patient he treated earlier may have been injured during the protest.

Dr. Corday (Alex Kingston) treats a man who was injured during a construction site accident, but things take a turn for the worse when the patient's wife arrives and accuses him of having an affair with her husband. Dr. Benton (Eriq La Salle) becomes involved in the situation, trying to keep the peace between the couple as they argue in the ER.

Elsewhere, Dr. Weaver (Laura Innes) deals with an abusive father who has brought his young daughter in for treatment.

As the episode progresses, tensions continue to rise both inside and outside the hospital, with the ER staff struggling to balance their professional responsibilities with their personal feelings about the violence erupting around them.

With powerful performances from the cast and a timely storyline addressing police brutality and social justice issues, "Sticks and Stones" is a standout episode of ER's fifth season that resonates with viewers even today.