Florida sheriff makes brutally violent threats to protesters at press conference and sparks controversy
With future protests set to take place in the US to demonstrate against the ongoing ICE arrests, a Florida sheriff has issued a brutal warning.
Demonstrations in the US, including in LA and other areas, have made their feelings clear in recent days, protesting against the crackdown on immigration by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The recent focus on immigration and visas even saw TikTok star Khaby Lame leave the US after being detained.
President Donald Trump's birthday parade this weekend is also expected to face attention from demonstrators, who are keen to push back against the arrests, and will be held in Washington, D.C. However, other states and areas are expecting to see protests too, including Florida.
Advert
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey has made it clear that violence from protestors will not be tolerated, and will be met with severe consequences.
Speaking at a press conference, he warned that if any protesters 'throw a brick, a firebomb, or point a gun' then they will feel the full force of the law.
He continued: "If you block an intersection or a roadway in Brevard County, you are going to jail. If you flee arrest, you’re going to go to jail tired because we are going to run you down and put you in jail."
He then added: "If you try to mob rule a car in Brevard County, gathering around it, refusing to let the driver leave in our county, you’re most likely going to get run over and dragged across the street."
The brutal threats from Ivey didn't stop there either, as he continued: "If you spit on us, you’re going to the hospital and then jail.
"If you hit one of us, you’re going to the hospital and jail, and most likely get bitten by one of our big, beautiful dogs we have here.
"If you throw a brick, a firebomb, or point a gun at one of our deputies, we will be notifying your family where to collect your remains, because we will kill you, graveyard dead. We’re not going to play."
Ivey has become well known for his bold statements in his press conferences. In 2021, after his force seized 700 pounds of cannabis, he shared: "If you happened to have lost or misplaced approximately 770 pounds of high-grade marijuana and would like to have your property returned, please contact our Narcotics Agents and we will be more than happy to reunite you with your lost property!!"
However, his words have also landed him in trouble before. In 2023, he had a lawsuit filed against him by a man who claimed his life was disturbed after Ivey posted him in a weekly 'Wheel of Fugitive' video on social media.
The man claimed he was wrongly included and also lost a prospective job as a result of being featured in the criminal roundup.
Niamh Spence