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Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd held two photographs in his hands as he addressed a press conference, according to The Washington Examiner.
The two photographs were of a peaceful protest and a violent riot.
“Peaceful protest we encourage,” Judd said.
“We can tell the difference, and I’ll guarantee you that you’ll be able to tell the difference if you come here and riot. If you come here and protest peacefully, we encourage that.”
Ron DeSantis signed a new Florida law criminalizing violent protests.
Polk County, Florida, Sheriff Grady Judd shows a picture of a "peaceful protest" and a picture of a "riot."
"We can tell the difference.
And I'll guarantee you that you'll be able to tell the difference if you come here and riot."pic.twitter.com/cVWW6J7Wdr
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) April 19, 2021
The legislation also makes it more difficult to strip funding from local law enforcement departments.
DeSantis said his new bill is “the strongest anti-rioting, pro-law enforcement piece of legislation in the country.”
“We saw last summer some of the local governments were actually telling, not necessarily in Florida, but throughout the country, basically telling these folks to stand, telling police to stand down while cities burned, while businesses were burned, while people were being harmed. That’s a dereliction of duty.”
Sheriff Judd said, “I would tell them, if you value your life, they probably shouldn’t do that in Polk County. Because the people of Polk County like guns. They have guns. I encourage them to own guns, and they’re going to be in their homes tonight with their guns loaded, and if you try to break into their homes to steal, to set fires, I’m highly recommending they blow you back out of the house with their guns. So, leave the community alone.”
From The Washington Examiner:
The bill, which DeSantis signed Monday, will make it harder for local governments to strip funding from law enforcement departments and creates a minimum sentence for those convicted of assaulting police officers.
Riots in cities across the country have continued into 2021, with Minneapolis bracing for more unrest once a verdict is reached on Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd last May.
Judd made headlines last year during the summer of unrest when he warned rioters that residents will “blow you back out of the house with their guns” if they came to his county.
