Protests turned violent this past weekend in Lakeland, FL prompting Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd to issue a local state of emergency. He said in a statement:
Serious incidents have occurred in Lakeland and are ongoing as of the time of declaring this local state of emergency, including threat of injury to civilians, aggravated assault and or battery to civilian(s), and aggravated assault on law enforcement officers. Thus far, participants are not dispersing as ordered by law enforcement officers and the activity is on going.
Two days later, protesters in Polk County were peaceful as they gathered at a city park to mourn the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Police joined the protesters to express their own anger over the senseless death of Floyd.
But a social media post encouraging violence, looting, destruction of property, breaking into people’s homes and harming people made its rounds online. It immediately prompted Sheriff Judd to make more statements, only this time he didn’t mince words.
The sheriff encouraged everyone’s First Amendment right to free speech. But in his speech he also warned that most residents in Polk County were also exercising their right to bear arms and to defend their house against criminals who attempt to break in, loot or set fire to their residence.
Sheriff Judd added that he doesn’t believe residents of Polk County were responsible for encouraging the violence. Saying there is a difference between a protester and a rioter, Judd warned, “We are going to hunt you down and lock you up if you engage in any criminal conduct.”
The speech by Sheriff Judd was so powerful it went viral. Watch the sheriff’s message to Antifa for yourself below.
