WATCH: Gov. Cuomo Rages, Denies When Asked About NYPD ‘Bludgeoning Peaceful Protesters’ With Batons
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) forcefully denied accusations that the New York Police Department (NYPD) used batons on peaceful protesters amid the social unrest over George Floyd’s death.
During Cuomo’s daily press conference on Thursday, a reporter said there were videos of the NYPD “bludgeoning peaceful protesters in New York City with batons as they were enforcing the curfew.” The reporter brought this up while asking “Is this what you wanted when you say the cops should do their job?”
The reporter was was most likely referring to videos like this one below, from filmmaker Josh Fox, which went viral as it showed the NYPD using a baton on a man riding a bike.
People stuck in traffic are witnessing NYPD beat up folks on their way home. pic.twitter.com/AkUGPQQOIf
— Josh Fox BlackLivesMatter (@joshfoxfilm) June 4, 2020
Cuomo called the question “a little offensive” as he responded “do you think there’s any sensible police officer who believes their job is bludgeoning a peaceful person with a baton?” He continued to decry the “incendiary rhetoric,” saying “it’s not a fact! It’s not even an opinion! That is a hyper-partisan rhetorical attack!”
“That’s not a fact! They don’t do that,” Cuomo went on. “Anyone who did do that would be obviously reprehensible, if not, criminal.”
Watch above, via ABC.
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