Early Tuesday, President Trump decided to attack the 75-year-old man who was shoved to the ground by riot police in Buffalo last week.
In a conspiracy-pushing Twitter tirade, the president suggested that Martin Gugino – an unarmed elderly man who was left with a bleeding head injury after a confrontation with Buffalo, New York, police – was perhaps an Antifa provocateur who was using technology to scan police equipment.
“Buffalo protester shoved by Police could be an ANTIFA provocateur. 75 year old Martin Gugino was pushed away after appearing to scan police communications in order to black out the equipment,” the president tweeted.
The president then tagged One America News Network (OANN) and referenced a report of theirs.
“I watched, he fell harder than was pushed. Was aiming scanner. Could be a setup?” he concluded.
Though President Trump did not retweet the referenced report, other Twitter accounts shared it. Christopher Miller of Buzzfeed News hammered the report for being scant on evidence, while accusing a reporter of having Russian ties.
Fun fact: The @OANN reporter with the Russian accent who did this wildly misleading story filled with unsubstantiated claims that Trump has now referenced on Twitter moonlights for Russia's state-run propaganda and disinfo-peddling network @SputnikInt. https://t.co/UFcFKDYAnf
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) June 9, 2020
On Thursday, a shocking video went viral showing riot police in Buffalo, New York, shoving a non-compliant elderly man, causing him to fall back onto his head.
The video, which was viewed over 70 million times, caused an uproar on social media, sparking outrage from both liberals and conservatives on the topic of police brutality and police reform.
The man, Martin Gugino, is a 75-year-old activist who was taken to the hospital after the encounter. He has been listed in serious but stable condition. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said the video was “utterly disgraceful.”
“This incident is wholly unjustified and utterly disgraceful,” he said. “I’ve spoken with Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and we agree that the officers involved should be immediately suspended pending a formal investigation,” said Cuomo. “Police Officers must enforce — NOT ABUSE — the law.”
Initially, the Buffalo Police Department claimed that the man tripped and fell during his encounter with police with no mention that he was shoved. As the controversy heated up on social media, two officers of the involved officers were suspended. Buffalo mayor Byron Brown has since stated he was deeply disturbed by the video.
“Tonight, after a physical altercation between two separate groups of protesters participating in an illegal demonstration beyond the curfew, two Buffalo Police officers knocked down a 75-year-old man,” said the mayor. “The victim is in stable but serious condition at ECMC. I was deeply disturbed by the video, as was Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood. He directed an immediate investigation into the matter, and the two officers have been suspended without pay. After days of peaceful protests and several meetings between myself, Police leadership, and members of the community, tonight’s event is disheartening.”
The two officers have been suspended without pay as the District Attorney investigates the incident. On Saturday, the two officers were arrested and charged with felony assault.
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