Mitt Romney calls President Trump tweet about Buffalo protester ‘shocking’

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SALT LAKE CITY — Sen. Mitt Romney says a President Donald Trump tweet targeting a 75-year-old Buffalo man as an “Antifa provocateur” doesn’t deserve a response.

Trump tweeted Tuesday that he believes Martin Gugino, who was hospitalized after he was pushed to the ground by two police officers at a protest over the death of George Floyd, was “scanning” police equipment before he was knocked down.

Asked about the president’s assertion Tuesday, Romney, R-Utah, said, “I saw the tweet. It was a shocking thing to say. I won’t dignify it with any further comment.”

Trump’s tweet apparently was based on a report by One America News Network, a far-right cable television channel, that claimed that Gugino was trying to knock out the police officers’ radios with his cellphone.

Buffalo protester shoved by Police could be an ANTIFA provocateur. 75 year old Martin Gugino was pushed away after appearing to scan police communications in order to black out the equipment. @OANN I watched, he fell harder than was pushed. Was aiming scanner. Could be a set up?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2020

Gugino, a retried computer programmer, is a longtime activist who has taken part in demonstrations against military drones, climate change, nuclear weapons and police brutality, according to the New York Times. His friends, the Times reported, say he is not associated with Antifa, a word that describes a loose group of anti-fascist activists.