New Hampshire State Police issue statement on ‘fist bump’ photo with Trump supporter
The picture was taken at a demonstration in Concord on Saturday.
Police in New Hampshire have explained the story behind a photograph taken during a protest in Concord Saturday depicting a state trooper giving a “fist bump” to a man holding a President Donald Trump campaign flag.
“That photograph has been portrayed by some individuals as a gesture of support for a particular viewpoint,” New Hampshire State Police Col. Nathan Noyes and Concord Police Chief Bradley Osgood said in a joint statement Monday. “This is factually incorrect.”
A NH state trooper fist-bumps an armed Trump-supporting anti-protestor behind the back of a black Concord City Officer at the Concord Black Lives Matter march.
Any questions?
Photo credit: Jody Anthony pic.twitter.com/Ir5NEQkIaj
— Sherry Frost 🏳️🌈😷🐾❤️ (@frostnhstaterep) June 6, 2020
Noyes and Osgood said that during the peaceful demonstration, the two departments conducted patrols in order to make sure authorities de-escalated incidents before they became violent or contentious.
The state trooper photographed were partnered throughout the event and responded to a report of a verbal altercation, according to officials, who said the pair spoke to individuals on each side of the dispute.
“The situation was de-escalated,” the statement says. “One person extended his hand to the Concord police officer and, in return, the officer shook his hand. Another individual extended his hand to the state trooper but because of the concerns regarding the spread of COVID-19, the trooper extended a ‘fist bump’ instead of a handshake.”
State House Photograph #NHSP #PressRelease pic.twitter.com/lO0IosjWJH
— New Hampshire State Police (@NH_StatePolice) June 8, 2020
That was the moment the photograph, which depicts the trooper interacting with the man holding the Trump 2020 flag — with an expletive on it — standing in front of a group of armed civilians, was taken, police said.
The picture was shared on Twitter later that day by state Rep. Sherry Frost, a Dover Democrat, who credited Jody Anthony for the snapshot.
“A NH state trooper fist-bumps an armed Trump-supporting anti-protestor behind the back of a black Concord City Officer at the Concord Black Lives Matter march,” Frost wrote. “Any questions?”
Frost also asked state police to publicly address the photo.
“Does the NHSP not offer sufficient training for your officers to understand the implications of this gesture in this setting?” she added.
In their statement, Noyes and Osgood said their departments “pride themselves on contributing to the sense of calm during events through constant professionalism and poise.”
“Our primary goal is to have these events remain peaceful in order for the message of all individuals to be heard, and to de-escalate any tense situations that may arise,” they said. “We treat everyone equally, fairly, and impartially through respect and we protect everyone’s right to express their beliefs and viewpoints peacefully.”
Frost told InDepthNH.org Monday that her initial impression from the police statement was that officials offered a “plausible explanation” behind the picture.
She also clarified that she was not at the Concord demonstration.
“It is encouraging that the State Police took the step to issue this statement and to clarify that they don’t support the political agenda being pushed by the armed agitators,” Frost told the news outlet. “Taking their statement at face-value, it’s good that de-escalation and conversation were used instead of the heavy-handed tactics we’ve seen elsewhere. If nothing else, this should be a reminder that the public are watching and will not tolerate law enforcement siding with armed agitators who seem intent on creating tension at peaceful protests for equality.”
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