Trump pushes unsubstantiated conspiracy theory about Buffalo protester shoved to the ground by police
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump put forth an unsubstantiated conspiracy theory Tuesday about the 75-year-old protester in Buffalo who suffered head injuries after he was pushed to the ground by police and hit his head on the sidewalk.
"75 year old Martin Gugino was pushed away after appearing to scan police communications in order to black out the equipment," Trump said in a morning tweet.
Citing a report on conservative news network OANN, Trump said, "I watched, he fell harder than was pushed. Was aiming scanner. Could be a set up?" He said Gugino "could be" an anarchist "provocateur" but provided no evidence for that assertion.
Two suspended Buffalo police officers were charged with assault and accused of intentionally pushing Gugino, who bled from the back of the head after he hit the sidewalk.
In multiple videos of the June 4 incident in Buffalo, Gugino approached a group of police officers on the sidewalk.
He appeared to say something to them and gestured toward them with what appeared to be a phone or other device.
He was then shoved backward by two officers, after which he lost his balance, stumbled back and fell, whacking his head hard on the sidewalk.
Witnesses say Gugino began bleeding from his ear, and video footage shows blood pooling near his head. He was still in the hospital Tuesday.
Reached by text, Gugino replied to the USA TODAY Network – New York that he had "no comment other than Black lives matter. Just out of the ICU. Should recover eventually. Thx.”
Kelly Zarcone, Gugino's attorney, told The Washington Post that Gugino has always been a peaceful protester who loves his family, and "no one from law enforcement has suggested otherwise.
"So we’re at a loss to understand why the president of the United States would make such a dark, dangerous and untrue accusation against him,” she said.
Democrats denounced Trump's tweet, and many Republicans questioned why the president would advance a conspiracy theory involving an injured 75-year-old man.
Joe Biden, the president's Democratic opponent in the upcoming election, described the comments as sinful.
"My Dad used to say there's no greater sin than the abuse of power," Biden tweeted. "Whether it's an officer bloodying a peaceful protester or a President defending him with a conspiracy theory he saw on TV. I'm a Catholic – just like Martin. Our faith says that we can't accept either."
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the president should apologize for "the reprehensible, dumb comment," a claim for which there was "no proof whatsoever."
"Do you think it was staged? Do you think the blood coming out of his head was staged?" Cuomo asked during a briefing.
Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., questioned why Trump even raised this issue.
"It's a serious accusation, which should only be made with facts and evidence. And I haven't seen any yet," Thune said.
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee and a frequent critic of Trump, said: "I saw the tweet, it was a shocking thing to say, and I won’t dignify it with any further comment."
Some Republican senators avoided comment. "You know, a lot of this stuff just goes over my head," said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.
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Martin Gugino: 75-year-old man pushed to ground by Buffalo police 'comes from a peace tradition'
Trump sent the tweet hours before the funeral of George Floyd, whose death at the hands of Minneapolis police triggered protests nationwide, including massive demonstrations in Washington and Buffalo.
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
My Dad used to say there's no greater sin than the abuse of power.
Whether it's an officer bloodying a peaceful protester or a President defending him with a conspiracy theory he saw on TV.
I'm a Catholic – just like Martin. Our faith says that we can't accept either.— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) June 9, 2020
All 57 members of the Buffalo Police Department's Emergency Response Team resigned from the unit Friday after the two officers were suspended. The unit members did not quit the police department but stepped down from the tactical unit.
Trump, who has frequently appealed to police officers to be part of his political coalition, suggested Gugino could be part of antifa, an umbrella description for far-left-wing activists Trump and his allies say are a violent threat.
Contributing: Sarah Taddeo in New York
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump suggests Buffalo protester Gugino was 'provocateur,' 'set up'
