Cuomo slams Trump for suggesting 75-year-old protester’s injuries were staged

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) slammed President Trump for his Tuesday tweet voicing an unfounded conspiracy theory that the 75-year-old man who was pushed to the ground by police in Buffalo during a protest could be part of a “set up” after video of the incident went viral. 

“It’s all made up, it’s all fabricated. There’s no fact to any of it,” Cuomo said during a press briefing. 

“He accuses this man of being associated with antifa, no proof whatsoever, no fact, just an assertion,” he added. 

Gov. Cuomo on President Trump’s tweet this morning promoting a fabricated conspiracy theory about the elderly Buffalo man who was shoved to the ground by police:

“You think the blood coming out of his head was staged!? … You saw his head hit the pavement!” pic.twitter.com/coRgYKusjg

— NBC News (@NBCNews) June 9, 2020

Trump cited the right-leaning One American News Network (OANN) in his tweet suggesting the man who fell in the viral video of a protest against police brutality was part of a “set up” an “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,” Trump tweeted, appearing to refer to a report on OANN. “I watched, he fell harder than was pushed. Was aiming scanner. Could be a set up?”

Cuomo was one of several Democrats on Tuesday who called Trump’s tweet irresponsible and reckless.

“In the video you see him pushed and you see a 75-year-old man fall backward and hit his head on the pavement. What does that even mean, fell harder than he was pushed? What, did he think it was staged? Do you think the blood coming out of his head was staged? Is that what you’re saying? You saw his head hit the pavement, you see blood on the pavement,” the governor said. 

“If he ever feels a moment of decency he should apologize for that tweet, because it is wholly unacceptable,” Cuomo added. “Not a piece of proof. Totally, personally, disparaging, and at a moment where the man is still in the hospital. Show some decency. Show some humanity. Show some fairness, you’re the president of the United States.” 

The Hill reached out to the White House for comment. 

Two Buffalo police officers have been charged with assault video showed them shoving Gugino after he approached them during a protest. Gugino staggered and fell backward, hitting his head on the concrete. He is seen lying motionless as blood pools on the sidewalk and the officers walk away. 

The department initially claimed Gugino “tripped and fell.”

The officers have pleaded not guilty, and the entire 57-member Buffalo Police Department Emergency Response Team has resigned in protest over their suspension.

The incident occurred at one of the many nationwide demonstrations following George Floyd’s death during a Minneapolis police arrest late last month.