With anti-Trump administration demonstrations planned across Florida and the nation this Saturday, state officials are warning protesters not to break the law.
"We are not California," said Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier at a Thursday press conference. "We do not allow rioting in the state of Florida."
The remarks were made in the wake of a week of tense and sometimes violent police-protester encounters in other states spurred by concern over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.
Los Angeles has been a flashpoint of the friction. California Gov. Gavin Newsom accused President Donald Trump of sowing "more chaos" after sending the military to disperse crowds.
The Saturday demonstrations, branded as "No Kings," will be on Trump's birthday — and the same day as a military parade in Washington, D.C.
Organizers accuse Trump of authoritarian practices.
With that ahead, Uthmeier warned that those who go beyond peaceful protests would be arrested. He cited a 2021 state law that increased penalties for rioting.
"If you want to throw things at vehicles, rocks or other objects, you're going to do time," Uthmeier continued. "If you want to light things on fire and put people in harm's way, you're going to do time."
Others issued a more dramatic message:
"If you throw a brick, a fire bomb or point a gun at one of our deputies, we will be notifying your family where to collect your remains at, because we will kill you graveyard dead," said Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, speaking at the press conference with Uthmeier.
The press conference came the day after Gov. Ron DeSantis made headlines for saying drivers who feel threatened by a surrounding "mob" have a right to hit someone.
"If you drive off and you hit one of these people, that's their fault for impinging on you," he said.
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This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
