Donald Trump has apparently bought into a conspiracy theory about a 75-year-old man who was shoved to the ground by police.
A video was shared widely last week of an elderly man in Buffalo being shoved to the ground by police.
The footage showed the man, named Martin Gugino, laying still on the ground with blood seemingly spilling from his ear.
While many people were outraged by the video, Trump took to Twitter to say that Gugino could be an “Antifa provacateur”, and that it could be a set up.
Trump has recently referred to Antifa as a terrorist organisation, and many other members of the Republican Party have blamed the group for violence at the protests.
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
Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo has since called on Trump to apologise for the tweet, referring to it as “reprehensible”.
He said: “He accused this man of being associated with Antifa – no proof whatsoever. No facts, just an assertion.
“I mean, if there was ever a reprehensible, dumb comment, and from the president of the United States.
“At this moment of anguish and anger what does he do? Pours gasoline on the fire. He should apologise for that tweet.”
A video of the incident in question can be seen here:
Clip via Guardian News
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