Aspiring GOP state senator from Rhode Island is suspended from his job as cop after 'PUNCHING' female Democrat rival during Roe v. Wade clash outside Providence capitol: Protests rage across US
- Providence, RI cop Jeann Lugo has been accused of punching his state Senate race opponent twice
- Jennifer Rourke claims Lugo 'violently attacked' her during a Roe v. Wade rally Friday night
- Lugo hasn't denied the allegations, but instead said 'it was very chaotic' and he can't confirm what happened
- Providence police have opened an investigation into Lugo's behavior and he has been placed on paid leave
- The alleged attack came amid a day of chaos-filled protests across the U.S.
- Pro-choice activists were tear gassed in clashes in Arizona and dozens are arrested in NYC and LA
- Protests erupted after SCOTUS overturned the Roe decision, which guaranteed abortion rights nationwide
A male cop running for Rhode Island Senate as a Republican has been accused of punching his Democrat female rival, a pro-choice advocate, during a Roe v. Wade protest.
Video shared on Twitter shows the shocking moment Republican cop Jeann Lugo allegedly struck Rhode Island Political Cooperative Chairwoman Jennifer Rourke in the face twice on Friday night.
Rourke, a Democrat, claims Lugo 'violently attacked' her after she spoke out at a Roe v. Wade rally in Providence. Lugo was off-duty at the time of the alleged incident.
'This is what it is to be a Black woman running for office. I won't give up,' she wrote.
An off-duty officer's behavior at the rally is under investigation, Providence police have confirmed. The department said the officer was placed on paid administrated Saturday morning pending a criminal investigation and administrative review.
Police did not disclose the name of the arrested officer but said the individual has served with the department for three years. Lugo joined the force in 2019, according to the department's 69th training academy commencement booklet.
Rhode Island Political Cooperative Chairwoman Jennifer Rourke has accused her opponent in the state Senate District 29 race, Providence cop Jeann Lugo, of punching her twice during a protest outside the statehouse Friday night
Hundreds of protesters assembled outside the Rhode Island Statehouse in Providence Friday in wake of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion in the U.S.
While much of the protest took place without incident, local news outlets allege conflict ensued after a group of counter-protesters entered the area.
Rourke claimed her challenger in the state Senate District 29 race, which is Lugo, punched her in the face at least twice once chaos broke out. She reportedly filed a police report and is looking to press charges.
The off-duty cop did not deny the assault allegation but did claim Rourke had become physical with him. She denied Lugo's accusation.
'I'm not going to deny,' Lugo told The Providence Journal on Saturday. 'It was very chaotic, so I can't really tell you right now. Everything happened very fast.'
'To me, this feels like an act of political violence similar to the acts of violence that we have seen across the U.S.,' Rourke hit back. 'I'm a black woman running for office. There was no need, no need for any of this. I'm not going to give up.'
Neither Rourke nor Lugo immediately responded to DailyMail.com's request for comment.
The newspaper also reported at least two other arrests during Friday night's rally, including a woman and a man who was tackled by a K-9 officer. It is unclear what the individuals were charged with.
Lugo has not denied the allegations and instead said: 'It was very chaotic, so I can't really tell you right now. Everything happened very fast.' Rourke intends to press charges against the off-duty cop
The alleged assault against Rourke came amid a night of chaos-filled protests across the nation. Thousands of spirited demonstrators took to the streets Friday in cities nationwide to protest the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Demonstrators are pictured outside the Supreme Court building in Washington DC on Friday
The alleged assault against Rourke came amid a night of chaos-filled protests across the nation. Thousands of spirited demonstrators took to the streets Friday in cities nationwide to protest the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
The landmark 1973 decision was overturned Friday after SCOTUS, in a 6-3 ruling powered by its conservative majority, upheld a Republican-backed Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
The vote was 5-4 to overturn Roe, with conservative Chief Justice John Roberts writing separately to say he would have upheld the Mississippi law without taking the additional step of erasing the Roe precedent altogether.
The ruling restored the ability of states to ban abortion. Twenty-six states are either certain or considered likely to ban abortion.
Abortion became illegal in 13 U.S. states as soon as Roe was overturned, thanks to specially-devised 'trigger laws' designed to automatically outlaw terminations in the event of a ruling to overturn Roe.
Five other states banned terminations after historic laws superseded by the 1973 Roe ruling automatically came back into place on Friday.
The ruling, which many Democrats claim leaves American women with 'fewer rights than their grandmothers,' prompted outcry across the nation.
Abortion was automatically outlawed in 18 US states as soon as Roe v. Wade was overturned, thanks to specially-devised 'trigger laws' and historic bans that were automatically reenacted after Friday's ruling
Republican appointed-Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett (circled) all voted to strike down Roe along with Samuel Alito
Pro-choice activists were tear gassed in clashes at Arizona Capitol building and dozens were arrested in New York City and Los Angeles.
The Arizona Capitol building was besieged by pro-abortion protesters Friday night, forcing riot cops to fire tear gas to disperse the angry crowd in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned.
Lawmakers working to complete their 2022 session said they were effectively held-hostage inside, and eventually huddled to a safe location, as SWAT team operatives worked to disperse the gathered crowds.
KPHO-TV reported the officers opened fire when several anti-abortion protesters started banging on glass doors of the building.
Arizona is one of eight states where abortion clinics stopped performing procedures after the decision was released Friday.
Arizona's Republican Governor Doug Ducey insists a bill he previously passed, banning abortions after 15 weeks, still stands. But Ducey's assertion can only be settled in the state's courts - and some hardline Republicans are already suggesting the original ban on all terminations should remain in place.
The incident sent Senate lawmakers into the basement of the building for about 20 minutes, said Democratic Sen. Martin Quezada. Stinging tear gas wafted through the Capitol afterward, forcing the Senate to move its proceedings to a hearing room instead of the Senate chamber.
Authorities said there were no injuries or arrests.
Tear gas coming from officers firing out of the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix is visible as pro choice protesters march outside
Arizona is one of eight states where abortion clinics stopped performing procedures after the decision was released Friday
Arizona's Capitol building was besieged by pro-abortion protesters Friday night, forcing riot cops to fire tear gas to disperse the angry crowd in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned
Lawmakers working to complete their 2022 session said they were effectively held-hostage inside, and eventually huddled to a safe location, as SWAT team operatives worked to disperse the gathered crowds
Officers opened fire when several anti-abortion protesters started banging on glass doors of the building
Arizona protesters start to move away as the state police begins tear gassing people
Riot police surround the Arizona Capitol after protesters reached the front of the Arizona Sentate building
With tear gas in the air, a large number of police surround the Arizona Capitol after protesters reached the front of the AZ Senate building after the Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion decision Friday
KPHO-TV reported the officers opened fire when several anti-abortion protesters started banging on glass doors of the building
Abortion rights protesters banged on the walls of the capitol building in Arizona while holding signs
In New York, at least 25 people were arrested on Friday after around 17,000 descended on Washington Square Park before marching through the streets to Grand Central Station, Times Square, and Bryant Park.
They also stopped outside News Corp headquarters - home to Fox News and the The New York Post - and yelled 'Burn it down! Burn it down! F*** Tucker Carlson!' Vandals also sprayed 'F*** Fox' on the side of the building.
Similar arrests were made in Los Angeles, where police reported protesters throwing bottles of water and rocks at officers during demonstrations.
ABC7 reported that there were protesters throwing what appeared to be fireworks at police. They also spotted a man briefly being dragged away from the demonstrations.
At one point, authorities declared an unlawful assembly just after 9 p.m., meaning protesters were forced to leave or be put under arrest, with officers not allowing reporters to witness what happened, according to the LA Times.
Earlier in the afternoon, a crowd had marched onto the northbound 110 Freeway and temporarily shut down traffic.
Thousands marched through Manhattan in New York City on Friday, even ending up at News Corp headquarters, home of the New York Post and Fox News
In New York, at least 25 people have been arrested after demonstrations across the city Friday
Abortion rights activists march from Washington Square Park to Bryant Park in Lower Manhattan in protest
Similar arrests were made in Los Angeles, where police reported protesters throwing bottles of water and rocks at officers during demonstrations on Friday
One activist sets off a smoke flare amid abortion rights protest on the 110 Freeway in Downtown Los Angeles
Protests in Los Angeles made it all the way out to the city's freeway, momentarily shutting down traffic
Hundreds of angry protesters assembled outside the Supreme Court building in D.C. Friday just moments after SCOTUS ruled to overturn Roe.
Cops, many outfitted in riot gear, were called in to protect the barricaded federal building as protesters chanted: 'F*** Clarence Thomas!' Thomas was among the justices who voted to strike down the ruling.
Several members of Congress, including Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, joined the rally to address the crowd in wake of what AOC called an 'illegitimate decision.'
'In almost half of this country, states are ready to ban abortion,' said Ilhan Omar, a Democrat representing Minnesota. 'Outright ban abortion. That means if you are sick, if you are raped, there is incest, you are forced to have that baby or die.'
A group was also spotted burning the American flag in the capital while others gathered outside Supreme Court Justice Thomas' home.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared outside the Supreme Court on Friday among the crowds in the aftermath of the Supreme Court releasing the Dobbs decision that ends abortion protections
A protester lights a cigarette on a burning American Flag while marching with abortion-rights activists in DC on Friday
Capitol Police dressed in riot gear stand outside the Capitol on Friday evening as protests erupted
Capitol Police are seen on duty on Friday evening in Washington DC, as protests spread
Abortion rights activists show their anger outside the Supreme Court in Washington DC on Friday
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