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Civil rights advocates respond to DeSantis statement on self-defense against protesters

Officers of the Florida Highway Patrol, left, look on as Gov. Ron DeSantis arrives for a press conference about a recent immigration enforcement operation, at the South Florida office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Enforcement and Removal Operations, Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Miramar, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
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AP
Officers of the Florida Highway Patrol, left, look on as Gov. Ron DeSantis arrives for a press conference about a recent immigration enforcement operation, at the South Florida office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Enforcement and Removal Operations, Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Miramar, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Ahead of nationwide protests against President Donald Trump’s policies tomorrow, civil rights advocates are assuring protesters that they have a right to safety.

This comes in response to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who recently spoke about protests on the conservative interview show “The Rubin Report.”

"We also have a policy that if you're driving on one of those streets and a mob comes and surrounds your vehicle, and threatens you, you have a right to flee for your safety. And so if you drive off and you hit one of these people, that's their fault for impinging on you," he said.

Alana Greer, director of the Community Justice Project in Miami, said protesters are protected under the law and should be aware of their rights.

"It is not legal in the state of florida by any stretch of the imagination to harm people with cars during a lawful protest and i think to stoke that kind of, that sentiment is really an effort to chill people from going out and exercising their right," she said.

READ MORE: 'No Kings' protests over immigration raids planned this Saturday nationwide and in South Florida

This is a News In Brief report. Visit WLRN News for in-depth reporting from South Florida and Florida news.

Joshua Ceballos is WLRN's Local Government Accountability Reporter and a member of the investigations team. Reach Joshua Ceballos at jceballos@wlrnnews.org
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