Buffalo police officers suspended after shoving 75-year-old protester to ground leaving him in pool of blood

Two US police officers have been suspended after they were filmed shoving a 75-year-old man to the ground, leaving him bleeding on the pavement.

The distressing footage, shot in Buffalo, New York, shows the white-haired man approaching a line of officers in riot gear as protests across the country continued into their tenth night following the death of George Floyd.

One officer nudges the elderly demonstrator with a baton before a second forcefully pushes him with his hand.

The pensioner stumbles backwards and hits the ground with a sickening crack. Blood can then be seen pooling around the man's head as officers appear to continue walking past.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown issued a statement 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."

It has drawn widespread condemnation across social media as protesters continue to line the streets to march against police brutality.

Mr Floyd died in Minneapolis on May 25 after police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for almost ten minutes.

Local radio station WBFO, whose reporter filmed the shocking footage in Buffalo, reported that two medics came forward and helped the man into an ambulance after being alerted by some of the officers at the scene.

Police later said that a man was injured after tripping and falling, according to WBFO.

But after viewing the video, the area’s Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood ordered an investigation and suspended the two officers, Mayor Brown later confirmed.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Twitter that he spoke with the mayor and agreed that the officers involved should be suspended, pending a formal investigation.

He wrote,"Police Officers must enforce - NOT ABUSE - the law."

The 75-year-old victim is said to be in stable but serious condition at Erie County Medical Center Hospital.

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