A Republican just tried to defend the police officers who resigned after assaulting an elderly man | indy100 | indy100

A Republican candidate has defended Buffalo police after an entire unit resigned because two officers were suspended for pushing an elderly man to the ground.

Stefan Mychajliw, who is running for congress in New York, said that he stands "very strongly" behind the police force.

I stand strong behind these Buffalo Police officers. I refuse to let the shining city on a hill that brought my imm… https://t.co/uHD4mueKSG
— Stefan Mychajliw (@Stefan Mychajliw) 1591452321

All 57 members of the Buffalo Police Department's emergency response team resigned after two of their members were suspended for pushing a 75-year-old man to the ground during the George Floyd protests.

President of Buffalo Police Benevolent Association, John Evans said at the time that the officers were "simply doing their job" and that the man "slipped" during the interaction. The mass resignation reportedly came at the direction of the union.

Stefan Mychajliw is county comptroller for New York. He has been criticised for using the protests to advertise his bid for congress.

@StefanMychajliw You are defending police brutality and police lawlessness. Stop it.
— Rebecca Tiffany (@Rebecca Tiffany) 1591457548

@StefanMychajliw Your statement today is amazingly tone deaf. It is sad to think that the city I grew up in is so f… https://t.co/efjghZaFHS
— Jack S. (@Jack S.) 1591465323

@StefanMychajliw Translation, "I will say and do anything that gets me elected, I have no views of mine own"
— John (@John) 1591456130

Despite Mychajliw's attempts to gain votes in his bid for congress, Trump has already publicly endorsed Chris Jacobs as a senator for New York.