New York police officers suspended for pushing 75-year-old to ground during protests

Two police officers in Buffalo, New York, have been suspended without pay after a video showed them pushing a 75-year-old man to the ground, as protests over the police killing of George Floyd continued into their 10th night.

Footage taken by a reporter from a local public radio station and posted online showed the unidentified man approaching a line of officers in riot gear. One officer pushes him with a baton and a second one with his hand. The advancing police line halts when a loud crack is heard as his head hits the pavement, and blood could be seen trickling from the man’s head.

Buffalo’s mayor, Byron Brown, said the man was in a stable but serious condition, with local media reporting he suffered a “laceration and a possible concussion”.

The incident drew widespread condemnation as protesters returned to the streets of several US cities to demonstrate against police brutality.

The protests overnight were largely peaceful, with fewer reports of looting and arrests, and a reduction in violent standoffs. However, several videos posted to Twitter on Thursday night showed police in New York City aggressively confronting peaceful protesters, often resulting in their arrest.

“I was deeply disturbed by the video,” Brown said in a statement. “After days of peaceful protests and several meetings between myself, police leadership and members of the community, tonight’s event is disheartening.”

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