WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday advanced an unfounded conspiracy theory about a 75-year-old protester in Buffalo, New York, who was pushed down by police officers, tweeting without evidence that the confrontation may have been a “set up.”
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Trump, who has called himself “your president of law and order,” was once again siding firmly with police over the protesters who have taken to the streets across the country.
With his tweet, Trump attempted to cast doubt on video showing Buffalo police shoving the man, who fell backward and hit his head on the sidewalk. He was seen bleeding from his head as officers walk away.
Two Buffalo police officers have been charged with second-degree assault for the incident and could face prison sentences of up to seven years if convicted. They have pleaded not guilty.
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. @OANN I watched, he fell harder than was pushed. Was aiming scanner. Could be a set up?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2020
The video is one of several that have emerged in recent weeks showing police using seemingly excessive force against protesters who are demanding justice and racial equality following the killing of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis after a white police officer pressed a knee into his neck.
“Buffalo protester shoved by Police could be an ANTIFA provocateur,” Trump wrote. “75 year old Martin Gugino was pushed away after appearing to scan police communications in order to black out the equipment. @OANN I watched, he fell harder than was pushed. Was aiming scanner. Could be a set up?”
There is no evidence to suggest that anything of the sort took place. Trump was referencing a report on One America News Network, a far-right news channel that he often praises.
As he has tried to malign violent protesters as “radical-left, bad people” engaging in domestic terrorism, Trump has repeatedly invoked the label “antifa,” an umbrella term for leftist militants bound more by belief than organizational structure.
There have been violent acts, including property destruction and theft. Police officers and protesters have been seriously injured and killed. But federal law enforcement officials have offered little evidence that antifa-aligned protesters could be behind a movement that has appeared nearly simultaneously in hundreds of cities and towns in all 50 states since Floyd’s death.
Gugino, who is out of the intensive care unit but remains hospitalized, has been described by friends as a retiree and veteran peace activist driven by his faith and a desire for social justice. He is involved with the Western New York Peace Center and Latin American Solidarity Committee, said Vicki Ross, the center’s executive director.
Ross said Gugino has also been undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.
Gugino’s attorney, Kelly Zarcone, told The Associated Press that Trump’s accusations “are utterly baseless and ridiculous.”
Gugino, she said, “has always been a peaceful protester because he cares about today’s society.”
“No one from law enforcement has even suggested anything otherwise, so we are at a loss to understand why the president of the United States would make such dark, dangerous, and untrue accusations about him. We can confirm that those accusations are utterly baseless and ridiculous,” she said.
The No. 2 Republican in the Senate, John Thune of South Dakota, also criticized Trump’s tweet.
“It’s a serious accusation, which should only be made with facts and evidence. And I haven’t seen any yet,” Thune told reporters at the Capitol.”
Asked if the president should not be making it, Thune said: “Well, I think that’s a given.”
New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, called Trump’s tweet “sick.”
“The President continues to use his platform to peddle conspiracy theories, this time about a peaceful protestor and fellow New Yorker. Not sure how this is supposed to bring our country together …” she tweeted.
And Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, another Democrat, tweeted to Trump that “the City of Buffalo is laser focused on healing, taking action against racial injustice and building a good future for our residents. We pray for a full recovery for Mr. Gugino and as I have repeatedly said, the two officers deserve due process.”
Erie County District Attorney John Flynn declined to comment Tuesday on the president’s tweet and said he would have no further comment on the Gugino case because it remains under investigation.
I believe Trump, he always turns out to be correct. He was given more video from a reliable source which has since been scrubbed.
This big guy with a helmet and cell phone.
Idiotic re-posts of rightist conspiracy garbage by Calamity Trump only reflects his downfall. Even Fox News goofed on him as did Drudge and conservative George Will. He’s really desperate as his national poll numbers collapse.
The whole scenario was staged to make the police look bad.
Even if anything trump is saying is true (which its not) they should have just arrested him. No need to murder more people.
Even if the older man was an Antifa supporter (there is no proof that he was), was that a justification for what the cops did? Secondly, Trump wrote that “he fell harder than he was pushed”. In other words, the older guy intentionally gave himself a concussion, or order to “set the cops up”. Regarding senior citizens, if they strike their heads on the pavement, they stand a very good chance of expiring. In 2003, two Jewish ex-New Yorker senior citizens became involved in an argument, outside of a movie theater near Ft. Lauderdale. The aggressor’s wife acted in a rude manner to a 72 year old retiree, who couldn’t immediately calculate the amount of money that he needed to buy movie theater tickets. He told the big mouth yenta to “Shutup”. Her husband (69 years old), became enraged, and charged at the other senior. Some people attempted to restrain him, but he broke free, and punched the 72 year old, knocking him to the pavement, where he struck his head, and died. The 69 year old, Seymour Schuss was arrested and charged with manslaughter, which would have carried a long prison sentence in Florida. The family of the defendant hired Dr. Michael Baden, who alleged that “the cause of death was not from the fall, but from a preexisting brain condition”. The jury actually bought that garbage. They voted five to convict and one not to convict. The one holdout stated that he didn’t want to convict the defendant because of his age. Incidentally, the aggressor Seymour Schuss was defended by Jayne Weintraub. She worked out a deal with the prosecution, whereby Schuss pleaded guilty to a reduced charge, and only served six months in a county prison’s medcal facility, with 5.5 years probation. The whole case, whereby a man lost his life over nonsense, and the perpetrator essentially walked, is very similar as to what goes on today.
Every time you anti trumpers ho after him
He only proves he was right and you fools were wrong. The socialist press wants you to see only what they want not the whole episode
Every time Trump makes these stupid, unnecessary statements I find myself thinking I have no choice but to vote for his opponent. Then I look at his opponent and I find myself thinking I have no choice but to vote for Trump.
More fake news. Trump said it’s possible he was Antifa and could be a setup. Didn’t claim anything as fact. Once again twisting his words
The government should really go after Soros: Years and years of never paid checks to demonstrators.
I am amazed by the folks here that seem to support this horrific assault of police on an elderly man. Anyone that does not see the wrongness of this is sick. Just remember Hashem judges middah k’neged middah. Trump’s comments are unacceptable and the support shown here, shows something very wrong with some people.
Trump always uses weasel words to avoid taking responsibility for anything he says.
This man approaches the police when no one else is there. Why does he approach and seemingly confront the police?
He seems to attempt to stop the police, who are walking forward and he then gestures towards the groin of the second police officer with something in his hand (it is not clear what). They push past him and then he falls. It is unfortunate that he fell and that he hurt himself. Should he have attempted what seems to be to confront and stop them?
Oh I guess the AP is right he was an innocent tzadik that happened to be in the area to buy some coffee for the police. What a bunch of jerks at the AP making the reshaim into tzadikim defending the horrible violent protests as sacred … we need to get out of this golus asap
Even though Trump amohl says very dumb things but the point is true. George floyds family is so excited about the whole thing…. These people want more. Did anyone see the gofundme page how much money they collected for his brother. Since when does a brother of a criminal(who btw was in jail around 5 times) need 15 MILLION dollars, this whole thing is propaganda…. They wish one more person would get killed by these protests but the police are petrified to do anything. They want to defund the police so America should turn into the African jungle
Our President is a very odd man.
We need Sherlock Holmes to investigate this grave matter ( with Dear Doctor Watson of course ) … or should we should we call in Inspector Gadget ?