Payton Gendron (screen capture via CBS News)
President Biden: White Supremacy Is A Poison, Has No Place In America
President Joe Biden (screen capture)
No Charges For Cops Who Shoved 75-Year-Old Resulting In Brain Injury
(screen capture)
A grand jury has declined to indict two Buffalo cops caught on camera shoving a 75-year-old protester during a June 2020 anti-police brutality protest and leaving him in a pool of blood, Erie County District Attorney John Flynn announced Thursday.
Aaron Torgalski, 39, and Robert McCabe, 32, were each charged with assault in the second degree, a Class D felony, for shoving Martin Gugino, a longtime peace activist in the upstate New York city, during the June 4 protest in the wake of George Floyd’s police killing.
A viral video showed Gugino falling down, blood pooling around his head after he hit the pavement. On June 30, Gugino was released from the hospital with a brain injury.
A grand jury has dismissed charges against Buffalo Police Officers Aaron Torgalski and Robert McCabe after they shoved Martin Gugino in Buffalo on June 4. pic.twitter.com/FOqBdoBh2b
— Mike Baggerman (@MikeBaggerman) February 11, 2021
Flynn: The video speaks for itself. There was undoubtedly, and no one can dispute this, there was probable cause that a crime did occur. There was probable cause. Most investigations involving a police officer do take time to investigate.
— Mike Baggerman (@MikeBaggerman) February 11, 2021
Flynn: Mr. Gugino committed a crime and broke the curfew. He had no business confronting police officers. All that had to be done was turn him around and arrest him. I still stand by he should not have been shoved. He should have been arrested. That didn’t happen
— Mike Baggerman (@MikeBaggerman) February 11, 2021
News Round-Up: June 17, 2020
Joel Green (via Instagram)
(via kenneth-in-the-212)
Buffalo Police Officers Charged With Assault On 75-Year-Old
L-R Mug shots of suspended Buffalo police officers Aaron Torgalski and Robert McCabe
The officers, 32-year-old Robert McCabe and 39-year-old Aaron Torgalski, were suspended without pay on Thursday after 75-year-old Martin Gugino was knocked down by police at a protest in Niagara Square.
Gugino was seriously injured and taken to ECMC, in a statement released through his attorney Friday he was said to be in serious but stable condition and was “alert and oriented.”
The entire force of the Buffalo Police Emergency Response Team resigned as of Friday afternoon. The 57 officers have not resigned from the department and will keep their jobs, they have only resigned from their roles on the Emergency Response Team.
A Buffalo PBA representative tells 7 Eyewitness News anchor Hannah Buehler “these officers were simply following orders given by DPC Joe Gramaglia to clear the Square.”
WKBW spoke with two of the officers who resigned from the Response Team who said the resignations weren’t a “show of support” for the two suspended officers. “I don’t understand why the union said it’s a thing of solidarity,” said one of the officers. “I think it sends the wrong message that ‘we’re backing our own’ and that’s not the case.” “We quit because our union said [they] aren’t legally backing us anymore,” said another. “So why would we stand on a line for the City with no legal backing if something [were to] happen? Has nothing to do with us supporting.”
Just about an hour ago, police officers shove man in Niagara Square to the ground (WARNING: Graphic). Video from: @MikeDesmondWBFO pic.twitter.com/JBKQLvzfET
— WBFO (@WBFO) June 5, 2020
Senior Hospitalized After Being Shoved By Cops, 57 Cops Resign From Response Team After 2 Suspended
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The entire Buffalo Police Department Emergency Response Team has resigned from the team. That’s a total of 57 officers.
We’re told this is a show of support for the officers who are suspended without pay after shoving 75-year-old Martin Gugino. They are still employed, but no longer on ERT. Mayor Byron Brown responded saying the city is aware of these resignations.
Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood issued this announcement: “As a longstanding member of the City of Buffalo Police Department, I know that our officers are fully committed to serving and protecting our community. While some officers have chosen to remove themselves from a voluntary assignment with the ERT, it is important to note that no officers have actually resigned from the police force. “I want to reassure our citizens that they will be protected in any peaceful gatherings that ensue and that our department remains focused on the security of our community.”
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For those who wonder why people protest about police brutality… A man identified as Martin Gugino was shoved to the ground and eventually hospitalized as police in Buffalo, New York, last night as police were attempting to clear protesters in front of City Hall. From Buffalo News:
A 75-year-old protester was injured Thursday night after being pushed to the ground by police as officers clearing Niagara Square as the citywide curfew went into effect.
Following the incident, which drew swift national attention and mass condemnation after video of it was viewed millions of times, the Buffalo Police Department suspended two officers without pay and began an Internal Affairs investigation, according to a police official and a department spokesman.
As seen in the video, as police advance, Gugino approaches the officers with what appears to be a phone in his right hand and a helmet in his left. He appears to point to the baton of one of the officers as the word “Move” can be heard amid shouts in the background.
The officer Gugino pointed to then pushes Gugino with his right hand and Gugino falls backward to the ground, where his head hits the sidewalk. One officer appears to reach down to check on him, but another officer pulls him back and the first officer continues walking. Other officers walk by and do not immediately come to Gugino’s aid.
You can see blood dripping out of Gugino’s ear as he lay unconscious (screen capture)
Just about an hour ago, police officers shove man in Niagara Square to the ground (WARNING: Graphic). Video from: @MikeDesmondWBFO pic.twitter.com/JBKQLvzfET
— WBFO (@WBFO) June 5, 2020
He didn’t trip he was shoved by the police pic.twitter.com/AM34ltvnRz
— liam “TEXT 50A TO 50409” (@liamfish25) June 5, 2020
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. https://t.co/EYIbTlXnPt — Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) June 5, 2020
A BPD spokesperson released this update. Five people were arrested and another person was injured during a protest in Niagara Square tonight. @WKBW pic.twitter.com/UZoDsSRs4J
— Jeff Russo (@JeffRussoWKBW) June 5, 2020
They added insult to injury by showing such depraved indifference while he’s on the ground. They just walked on without even providing aid.
— Donna’s Happy Place (@donna_place) June 5, 2020
Study Shows Which U.S. Cities Have Highest Rate Of Anti-Gay Tweets
Adobo.com, a site that helps tenants find apartments, did an analysis of 12 million tweets ranging from June 2014 to December 2015, looking for slurs and other language which could be considered prejudicial against certain minority groups (African-Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, women, gays and lesbians, transgender people, etc).
The study found that the city of Buffalo, New York, uses the highest rate of anti-gay tweets.
Referencing the study, LGBT activist Margaret Smith told the Buffalo News, “What this tells me is there’s a lot of work to be done. This is about a lot more than marriage. We are our words. Tweeting is a little anonymous, as is online behavior. But right now, there’s lot of people on television giving lots of other people permission to be hateful.”