The statement attracted criticism from the ACLU in Florida. Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state has drawn clear boundaries between protests and riots.
Official Warning: Florida mobs could face prisons, and even death
At a June 12 press conference, Florida James Usmierer and Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivy warned protesters about possible consequences of the violence.
The Florida Sheriff warned immigration enforcement protesters that if law enforcement becomes violent against lawmakers, law enforcement “killed you and the cemetery has died.”
“If you hit one of us, you’ll go to the hospital and the jail and get bitten by one of our big, beautiful dogs we probably have here,” Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivy told a June 12 press conference.
“If you point your gun at a brick, a fire bomb, or one of our agents, we will notify your family where we will collect your body.
Comments came after a week of protests in Los Angeles and protests against immigration and customs raids as Florida warned on June 14 that Florida would become a protester ahead of a expected rally across the country that is not California. State leaders said the riots were “quickly caught between the buds.”
Comments that included death threats to violent protesters drew criticism from the ACLU in Florida. This warned the state sheriff that if excessive force is used against protesters, they will have to pay millions of dollars in damages.
“Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivy said the violent and provocative threat of “killing” protesters who exercise their First Amendment rights is highly non-American and the elected leader cannot pledge to protect their people,” the state’s ACLU chapter said in a post to social media.
As President Donald Trump took office in January and began acting on the promise of a massive deportation promise, ice and related agencies quickly escalated efforts to eliminate undocumented immigrants, urging anti-ice protests to cities around the country. In some cases, peaceful protests have turned into chaotic scenes with local law enforcement clashes with protesters accused of rocks and even Molotov cocktails.
Ivy said at a press conference that peaceful protests are “part of our democracy” and would be welcomed in his county.
“The keyword in it is peace,” he said. “If you changed it violently… you don’t want to do it in Brevard County.”
Florida passed the “anti-Riot” bill in 2021, saying peaceful protesters could face criminal charges if their actions became violent. On June 9, Gov. Ron Desantis said the state had a “very clearly drawn” line between protests and riots.
Approximately 2,000 King’s Day demonstrations are planned nationwide on June 14th. As of June 10, protests for those over 75 (including multiple single cities) are being planned in Florida, according to the Kings website.
Florida “will never become California,” officials say
At a June 12 press conference, law enforcement officials remained steady in support of federal anti-affected immigration efforts and vowed to protect ice personnel who are “harmed solely to do their job.”
“Florida will never become California,” said Florida Attorney General James Usmier.
He said if he felt threatened or threatened while the ice officer could be notified in Florida that he would provide “regular checkups and patrols” to Florida Highway Patrols.
FHP Col. Gary Howze said in the past few months the state has detained more than 2,000 undocumented immigrants.
Larry Keefe, executive director of the state’s Immigration Executive Committee, said the state will add riot response tactics to its “blueprint” for mass expulsions so that other states follow suit.
“There’s no reason why other states should not have the backs of federal law enforcement officials and their families while they’re in California or any other state,” said Keefe, a former top federal prosecutor in North Florida.
AnaGoñi-Lessan, USA Today Network’s State Watchdog Reporter – Florida can visit agonilessan@gannett.com..