A Florida sheriff has threatened to kill any protester who becomes violent or threatens law enforcement as massive anti-Trump demonstrations sweep across the country.
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey warned protesters not to act violently in his jurisdiction ahead of the “No Kings” protests scheduled for Saturday. If they do, “We will kill you, graveyard dead.”
“Throw a brick, a firebomb, or point a gun at one of our deputies, and we will notify your family where to collect your remains,” Ivey threatened during a press conference on Thursday with Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Because we will kill you, graveyard dead. We are not going to play.
Ivey acknowledged that peaceful protests “are part of our democracy — we invite people to share their opinions.” However, “if you let it turn violent…” he added before letting out a dramatic sigh, “you do not want to do that in Brevard County… I believe I can speak for my fellow sheriffs in the rest of the state.”
Ivey added that he doesn’t want to “hear any whining later saying, ‘we didn’t know,'” referring to the protests that have erupted in other cities, including New York City, Chicago, and, most notably, Los Angeles.
Protests against immigration and customs enforcement in California’s largest city have sparked widespread national attention.
After ICE agents swept through the city last week, targeting suspected undocumented immigrants, demonstrators demanded that they leave and attempted to obstruct them, with protests at times turning violent.
The day after the widespread Los Angeles protests began, President Donald Trump sent the National Guard to the city, which Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned.
The governor filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, and on Thursday, a federal judge ruled that the deployment exceeded the president’s statutory authority and violated the constitution.
However, minutes later, the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily blocked the judge’s order, allowing Trump to keep the California National Guard deployed for the time being.
During Thursday’s press conference, the Brevard County sheriff and Uthmeier spoke from a podium labeled “Florida — the anti-riot state.”
The county has a population of approximately 650,000 people, and at least two protests are planned for Saturday, according to Florida Today, with several more reportedly planned in neighboring counties.
The “No Kings” protests were organized by the 50501 Movement, a grassroots organizing group formed following Trump’s inauguration this year.
“Join us in the fight to uphold the Constitution and end executive overreach,” their website reads, declaring themselves peaceful and emphasizing that “violence of any kind will not be tolerated.”
The planned protests coincide with Trump’s 79th birthday on Saturday, as well as an Army parade in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the United States’ 250th birthday.
