President Donald Trump alleged without substantiation that an elderly protester shoved to the ground and seriously injured by police in Buffalo, New York, was a “provocateur” who exaggerated his fall, once again revealing his displeasure with nationwide demonstrations against police brutality.
Trump tweeted Tuesday about last week’s injury of protester Martin Gugino, 75, who has been identified as an activist and a member of the Western New York Peace Center. Without citing any evidence, the president suggested Gugino was a member of “Antifa,” leftist activists who sometimes engage in violence. Trump has labeled them terrorists.
Video showed Gugino approach police during demonstrations in the city, holding his phone and speaking to them, before being pushed to the ground and suffering a head injury.
Trump, who has declared himself the “law and order” president, offered a slight concession to protesters’ demands on Monday during a roundtable event with law enforcement officials at the White House, where he said police should be encouraged to behave more gently. Administration officials said the White House is considering unspecified policing reforms.
But Tuesday’s tweet illustrated the depth of the president’s rancor over the demonstrations.
Throughout the protests that erupted after the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in Minneapolis police custody two weeks ago, Trump has shown his anger at the protests. Last week, law enforcement agencies in Washington violently dispersed a peaceful protest across the street from the White House in Lafayette Square after Trump warned he would deploy the military to end rioting and looting in some cities.
The president then walked to a church damaged by arson to hold a Bible in front of photographers. His allies called the display a show of strength, but Trump was castigated for the incident by Episcopal and Catholic leaders and by politicians across the political spectrum.
WGRZ-TV in Buffalo reports that Gugino remains hospitalized. Two officers have been suspended and charged with assault, and have pleaded not guilty.
The president said it “could be a set up” and claimed he believed Gugino was attempting to tamper with police equipment by scanning it. He cited a report from a pro-Trump media agency, One America News Network, that is complimentary of the president.
The OAN correspondent who reported on Gugino also suggested he was a member of Antifa without citing any evidence beyond “bragging on social media about far-left views.”
Trump has occasionally encouraged his Twitter followers to watch OAN instead of Fox News when the more mainstream conservative outlet has disappointed him, for example by airing reports showing him behind in polls or featuring interviews with Democrats.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, called out Trump for his tweet, saying it was reckless, irresponsible and crude.
“At this moment of anguish and anger, what does he do? Pours gasoline on the fire,” Cuomo said. “If he ever feels a moment of decency, he should apologize for that point because it is wholly unacceptable.”
The tweet also drew a cool reception in Trump’s own party. Republican Senator John Thune of South Dakota, the majority whip, said: “It’s a serious accusation that should only be made with facts and evidence. And I haven’t seen any yet.”
Trump has criticized the death of Floyd and the actions of the officers involved, but has otherwise generally praised the actions of police and National Guard troops in quelling riots and looting. Floyd’s funeral will be held in Houston on Tuesday.
In Monday’s police roundtable, Trump championed law enforcement but added a caveat. “We’re going to talk about ideas — how we can do it better and how we can do it, if possible, in a much more gentle fashion,” he said.
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