NY Governor Cuomo calls for police reforms after video of officer pushing old man sparks outrage

The governor of New York has called for major reform of the state’s policing, as he tried to quell outrage over a video which showed an elderly man being shoved by officers and left to bleed on the ground.

The footage shows the officers in riot gear pushing 75-year-old Martin Gugino who had approached a line of police clearing demonstrators from a public square in Buffalo, upstate New York, as an 8pm curfew came into force.

The man falls backward and hits his head on the pavement. Blood leaks onto the floor as police walk past.

Buffalo police initially said in a statement that a person was injured when he “tripped and fell," but then opened an internal investigation after the video emerged.

The two officers involved have now been suspended, but Mr Cuomo called for them to be fired and criminal charges brought. According to a local news report, 56 officers from Buffalo's police force - making up its entire emergency response team - on Friday resigned in solidarity with their suspended colleagues.

Mr Cuomo, who played the “utterly disgraceful” footage which made him “physically sick” to reporters gathered for a press conference in Albany, said he had spoken to the victim, who was recovering from a concussion and in a serious but stable condition.

The progressive governor said he was pushing for the state to pass new legislation under the Say Their Name reform agenda package scheduled to be heard next week.

He said he wanted to see police disciplinary records made transparent, for officers to be banned from using chokeholds on suspects and for the Attorney General to act as independent prosecutor for any police murder cases.

He also said “false” 9/11 calls based on a person’s race should be considered a hate crime.

“It is in all of our interest to stop police abuse. Stopping police abuse vindicates the overwhelming majority of good police,” he said. “It restores trust. It restores safety.

“For the sake of our communities, we must do this.”

Elsewhere, the city of Minneapolis on Friday night agreed with the state to ban the use of chokeholds by police and to require police to report and intervene anytime they see an unauthorised use of force by another officer.

There have been unprecedented scenes of violence up and down the country this past week, footage of which has shocked Americans.

The New York Police Department, in particular, has come under intense criticism for its heavy-handed tactics in putting down largely peaceful protesters demonstrating against police brutality.

With more than 2,000 arrests, the state is responsible for more than a fifth of the total number of arrests made across the country since protests began 10 days ago.

On Thursday night, police used batons against protesters who had been marching in downtown Brooklyn after the curfew. Videos showed officers handcuffing doctors, nurses and delivery drivers, despite officials stating essential workers were exempt.

President Donald Trump on Friday gave his first public address in five days, briefly mentioning the unrest but declining to take questions.

He put his finger to his lips when asked by one African-American journalist about the protests.

“Nobody’s ever done for the black community what President Trump is doing,” he told reporters at the White House’s Rose Garden as he congratulated himself on encouraging new employment figures.

“Hopefully, George (Floyd) is looking down right now and saying, 'This is a great thing happening for our country’,” Mr Trump said. “A great day for him, a great day for everybody. This is a great day for everybody.”