BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Video showing a man knocked down by Buffalo police at a protest in Niagara Square in Buffalo on Thursday night has spread globally on social media.
Two police officers shown in the video, captured by a WBFO reporter, have been suspended without pay. The man in the video, who was identified by a fellow protester as Martin Gugino, was taken to ECMC. He is in serious condition but "alert and oriented."
The incident has sparked outrage across the country and the world. 7 Eyewitness News has collected responses from actors, comedians and musicians:
Kacey Musgraves, musician
ELDERLY PROTESTER ASSAULT 🛑 CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY @NYGovCuomo (518)474-8390 @NewYorkStateAG @MayorByronBrown @BPDAlerts Erie County District Attorney: John J. Flynn: (716) 858-2400 Buffalo Police Commissioner: Byron Lockwood (716)851-4571 pic.twitter.com/ekt35wo5eH
— K A C E Y (@KaceyMusgraves) June 5, 2020
Jim Gaffigan, comedian
I'm not sure why we would need to sign a petition to make this happen but I just did. Protect and serve?
— Jim Gaffigan (@JimGaffigan) June 5, 2020
Buffalo Police Department : FIRE POLICE OFFICE AARON TORGALSKI - Sign the Petition! https://t.co/asOidX0TgI via @Change
Jameela Jamil, actress
Ah immediate internal affairs investigation when it’s a white man who is still alive. Good to know they are capable of immediate investigation. How we doing on #BreonnaTaylor investigation? Any arrests or nah? https://t.co/3J1V4zFQZR
— Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil) June 5, 2020
Ice-T, actor and rapper
Just watch.. No comment needed.. he’s bleeding.. smh https://t.co/YTlgINv0AT
— ICE T (@FINALLEVEL) June 5, 2020
Kelly Clarkson, singer and TV host
To every single cop in this video that walked by that poor man bleeding out of his head after he was OBVIOUSLY pushed, WHY ARE YOU A COP???!!!!! To all the great cops out there, CALL THESE SORRY EXCUSE FOR HUMANS OUT!! https://t.co/xT31LwaVZr
— Kelly Clarkson (@kellyclarkson) June 5, 2020
Jason Mamoa, actor
Dulé Hill, actor
Kumail Nanjiani, actor
Re: that awful video. Buffalo PD officially said that the man tripped & fell. If we didn’t have video there would have been no accountability. Why? Because one “bad apple” pushed him down but 20 “good apples” would have let him get away with it. It’s systemic.
— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) June 5, 2020
