Providence Police Department is investigating one of their officers after he allegedly assaulted a woman at an abortion rally while he was off-duty on Friday.
Avideofrom the event appears to show a man hitting Jennifer Rourke, the Rhode Island State Senate opponent of Jeann Lugo. Lugo was arraigned on assault and disorderly conduct charges Saturday and released on his own recognizance, theProvidence Journalreported.
“I was de-escalating the situation and the counter protester was leaving when my Republican opponent Jeann Lugo punched me multiple times in the face,” Rourke said in a statement to PEOPLE. Rourke’s rep said she pressed charges with the state and PPD.
It’s unclear whether Lugo has secured legal representation. Lugo did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
He announced on Saturday that he was dropping out of the Senate race. “I will not be running for any office this fall,” Lugo posted on Twitter, shortly before deactivating his account.
Jennifer Rourke/Twitter; Jeann Lugo/Facebook
Rourke, a Democrat, previously shared the video, which is dark and blurry, but shows a physical altercation unfolding.
“I’m a reproductive rights organizer & State Senate candidate. Last night, after speaking at our Roe rally, my Republican opponent – a police officer – violently attacked me,” shewrotewith the clip. “This is what it is to be a Black woman running for office. I won’t give up.”
PPD has since suspended Lugo with pay and launched an internal investigation. “The officer has served for 3 yrs and placed on administrative leave w/ pay this morning, pending a criminal investigation and administrative review,” they shared in astatementbeforeconfirming the identityof the officer.
Lugo did not deny the claims, according to theBoston Globe. “As an officer that swore to protect and serve our communities, I, unfortunately, saw myself in a situation that no individual should see themselves in,” Lugo reportedly told the publication in a statement. “I stepped in to protect someone that a group of agitators was attacking.”
Jennifer Rourke/Twitter
Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza also commented on the alleged assault, noting that he can’t share much information due to the state’s Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights.
“I’ve seen the video and it’s immensely disturbing. Those responsible will be held fully accountable,” Elorzawroteon Twitter.
Rourke continued in her statement to PEOPLE: “Political violence like this is exactly why people like me often don’t run for office. Working-class candidates and Black and Brown candidates face violence and threats all across the country.
“In the Co-op, I’m running alongside nurses, teachers, social workers, and other progressive candidates who like me work two, sometimes three jobs while running for office. They helped get me out of the situation at the rally last night and they have supported me through this like a family. I wish everyone running for office could have this kind of support system,” Rourke added.
Friday’s rally came hours after the Supreme Court’s 6-to-3 rulingto overturn 1973’s Roe v. Wadeand the constitutional right to abortion. The decision reverses nearly 50 years of precedent and gives states the power to pass their own laws around abortion.
Since the ruling, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri and South Dakota have alreadybanned abortion in their states, afterputting “trigger bans” in placethat governors enacted after the SCOTUS ruling.
RELATED VIDEO: Woman Whose Conception Sparked Roe v. Wade Case Breaks Silence: ‘I’m Keeping a Secret but I Hate It’
source: people.com
