George Floyd protests: 75-yr-old man who suffered injuries after Buffalo PD cops shoved him is 'stable but serious'
A 75-year-old protester who suffered a severe head injury after being caught in a scuffle with the Buffalo Police is reportedly in a "stable but serious condition". Earlier on June 5, a 39-second graphic video clip by WBFO's Mike Desmond went viral on Twitter, which showed an unidentified senior citizen being shoved to the ground by a police officer in Niagara Square. The Buffalo Police was clearing the crowd post the 8 pm curfew when the elderly man, clad in a face mask, walked up to the police officers near the City Hall Building. The police officers shouted at him to move back, while another shoved him, causing him to stumble backward and fall head-first onto the pavement. He started bleeding from the back of the head and ears, and an ambulance was immediately called to the scene.
Mayor Byron Brown took to Twitter to post an update about tonight's incident, saying the victim was in "stable but serious condition at ECMC" and the two police officers involved in the altercation have been suspended without pay. In the statement, Brown said he was "deeply disturbed by the video, as was Buffalo Police Commissioner, Byron Lockwood (who) 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," he added I hope to continue to build on the progress we have achieved as we work together to address racial injustice and inequity in the city of Buffalo. My thoughts are with the victim tonight." New York Governor Andrew Cuomo also agreed with the cops' suspension and tweeted, "This incident is wholly unjustified and utterly disgraceful. I’ve spoken with Buffalo @MayorByronBrown and we agree that the officers involved should be immediately suspended pending a formal investigation. Police Officers must enforce — NOT ABUSE — the law."
Nonetheless, the video sparked widespread outrage among the Twitterati, who used the platform to express their rage at the actions and cruelty meted out by the Buffalo PD officers. "Look how little regard they have for human life," said Walter Shaub, an attorney who specializes in government ethics, quoting the disheartening video. "Status of the victim; stable but serious. He’s 75 years old! These words come to mind; 'Until this moment, Senator, I think I have never really gauged your cruelty or your recklessness... Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?'" said a user, quoting the Mayor's tweet.
Actor Michael Rapaport took to his Instagram to condemn the police's brutality. "S**t hits harder when the person being abused looks like YOU right ?" he captioned a post of the video on his profile. "This Man looks about the same age as my 87 yr old Father, Disco Dave Rapaport & if this was My Father, I’d be PISSED THE F** OFF for real." He added, "There’s not ONE Black Man I know who hasn’t been disrespected in one form or the other by a Cop in there life. That’s a FACT. I have NOTHING but respect & appreciation for the Cops, I always have & always will, but the bad ones HAVE to go & the Cops need to start cleaning this s**t up from the inside. Imagine this was your Father? S**t has been happening for years to Black people STRAIGHT UP. I’ve seen it happen to my friends in front of MY face. #StayDisruptive #StayDisinfected."
"If they’re doing this in bright daylight with cameras on them imagine what they do at night with no cameras. Identify and fire without pension and convict on assault," said another enraged user. "This is EXACTLY why there are protests around the WORLD. Why did they feel this was necessary? Police protection can resemble domestic abuse. Need for control by fear and domination, motive is the same. That's what needs to be changed. Disgraceful," a user tweeted.