Two US police officers were suspended after they pushed a 75-year old man to the ground and left him bleeding from his head.
Video footage from a US news camera crew WBFO filmed the incident of two police officers from Buffalo Police Emergency Response Team on Thursday.
As a result all 57 members of the tactical response unit have resigned “in disgust” over the suspension of the two officers.
John Evans the President of the Police Benevolent Association said, the two officers were “following orders.”
Evans told The Buffalo News, “Our position is these officers were simply following orders from Deputy Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia to clear the square.
“It doesn’t specify clear the square of men, 50 and under or 15 to 40. They were simply doing their job.
“I don’t know how much contact was made. He did slip in my estimation. He fell backwards.”
Evans told local TV station WGRZ, that the unit resigned “in disgust because of the treatment of two of their members, who were simply executing orders.”
Despite resigning from the tactical unit, they still remain police officers.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown issued a statement on Thursday, following the incident saying, “I was deeply disturbed by the video.
“After days of peaceful protests and several meetings between myself, police leadership and members of the community, tonight’s event is disheartening.
“Tonight, after a physical altercation between two separate groups of protesters participating in an illegal demonstration beyond the curfew, two Buffalo Police officers knocked down a 75-year-old man. The victim is in stable but serious condition at ECMC.
“I was deeply disturbed by the video, as was Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood. He directed an immediate investigation into the matter, and the two officers have been suspended without pay.”
Leave a Comment