MIAMI – Fort Lauderdale police suspended an officer after video showed he pushed a kneeling woman to the ground during protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, resulting in bottles being thrown.
The officer’s colleagues quickly pushed him away from the woman and down the street Sunday. Police Chief Rick Maglione said Monday that Officer Steven Pohorence was one of several officers who had come to the assistance of a colleague, who had been surrounded by demonstrators and felt endangered.
He said some of the demonstrators began jumping on a patrol car and that officer had to also be rescued. He said as the officers were removing the endangered officers, Poherence pushed the woman to the ground.