Florida governor: ‘It doesn't matter what banner you are flying under, the violence is wrong’
BRADENTON, Fla. - The Republican governor of Florida arrived in Bradenton Thursday morning to discuss the latest in vaccination efforts within the state, but first, he acknowledged the riots that occurred the previous day in Washington D.C., describing it as "unacceptable."
"It doesn’t matter what banner you’re flying under," Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday morning, "the violence is wrong."
DeSantis added that riot would not be tolerated in Florida, reminding those listening of his legislation on tougher penalties he announced last year, promising it would be introduced this legislative session.
In the midst of the violence in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, the Florida House of Representatives and Senate filed identical bills to impose harsher punishment against rioters and cutting funding to local municipalities that wish to slash law enforcement budgets.
Rep. Juan Fernandez-Barquin sponsored House Bill 1 and Sen. Danny Burgess sponsored Senate Bill 484,
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"I 100% support people’s right to be able to get together and protest and say what’s on their minds. The minute that crosses over, I think there needs to be penalties," DeSantis said Thursday. "I think what you saw yesterday is a good example of taking a rally and having certain views and then going to storm the Capitol like it was done was totally unacceptable – and those folks need to be held accountable."
He said he hopes the state bill will receive more support following the riot.
"You can have strong views and be disappointed an election, you can be disappointed in whatever but you can’t go in and ransack public places like that," DeSantis added.
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The governor’s full transcription on yesterday's riots can be read below:
"In September, I was the first governor in the country to propose legislation to really deal with some of the disorder and violent assemblies and rioting we have seen in our country. I thought that you needed to have strong penalties and I 100% support people’s right to be able to get together and protest and say what’s on their minds.
The minute that crosses over, I think there needs to be penalties. I think what you saw yesterday is a good example of taking a rally and having certain views and then going to storm the Capitol like it was done was totally unacceptable – and those folks need to be held accountable.
It doesn’t matter what banner you’re flying under, the violence is wrong. The rioting and disorder is wrong. We’re not going to tolerate it in Florida. I hope even now we would get more support for my legislation because it’s something that needs to be done.
You can have strong views and be disappointed in an election. You can be disappointed in whatever, but you can’t go in and ransack public places like that.
So, we’re going to make sure the folks who do that in Florida, if they do that, they’re going to face very quick penalties."