Alert: Peaceful protestors arrested at DeSantis’s office
One was a member of SWORD
Welcome to SWORD…
It’s been a little bit since we’ve emailed you, largely because nost of us have been in Tallahassee, working like crazy to prevent Ron DeSantis and his pliant Republican legislature from inflicting maximum damage on everyday Floridians.
Tonight, that work included getting arrested. Earlier this evening, SWORD board member
was one of 14 peaceful protestors to be arrested during a protest against Florida’s abominable new immigration law outside Ron DeSantis’s office in the Capitol. The demonstration, coordinated by a pro-immigrant group Dream Defenders, attracted the attention of at least 40 police officers, who had no choice but to haul folks off to jail.Here’s a news story about the police crackdown, and below is part of the organization’s news release about the confrontation:
Police used the "Dream Defenders rule" to justify their removal from public property, which was created after their 2013 occupation of the statehouse to protest the murder of Trayvon Martin. The rule bans being in the Florida Capitol outside of operating hours. Reporters trying to capture the arrests were also removed, including one USA Today reporter who was forcibly removed by a police officer.
"Gov. DeSantis and Republican lawmakers have chosen to attack many of Florida's most vulnerable and historically marginalized communities with policies that attack who they are, who they love and how and what they learn,” said Dwight Bullard, Sr. Political Advisor at Florida Rising who was arrested during the protest.
The Dream Defenders planned the sit-in as part of a national protest called Freedom to Learn. The protest addressed the many issues facing Floridians, and called for a meeting with DeSantis to share the impact the legislative session has had on communities.
Speakers used the 7-point platform, The Freedom Papers as a guide for their action, painting an alternative vision for the country to the agenda of extremist politicians like DeSantis. The Freedom Papers were created out of a process that engaged thousands of Floridians about their community’s most pressing needs.
Thomas and others will be released on their own recognizance and face a year ban from the Capitol. It’s just the latest act of cowardice from the governor, who is terrified of facing actual media (you saw his brain malfunction in Japan, right?) and only speaks to pathetic pay-for-play conservative “bloggers.” Thomas was already banned from DeSantis’s public events for daring to ask real questions. Now he’s got to deal with getting out of jail and dealing with court fees.
At least he looks cool here, right?
If you’ve got a few bucks available, please consider donating to the Dream Defenders’ bail fund, which will go towards helping all protestors get out of jail tonight (and probably in the future).
We’ll be back with regular updates by next week.
This is the behavior that is chipping away at democracy in this country. I spend a great deal of time getting young people to register AND vote. I may, possibly, have gotten a young women (in her 20's) to seriously consider running for office. I encourage everyone to do what they can to increase voter turnout, as this is the only way we are going to rid ourselves of the desantises in this country. He is nothing more than a cruel nazi, and he and his kind must be voted out.