Florida Sheriff Explains the Rules to Protesters: ‘If You Spit on Us, You’re Going to the Hospital’

Florida is not playing around when it comes to riots.

In a viral clip from a press conference held by Florida officials, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier made their state’s intentions known to the public as Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids continue across the country.

In this particular moment making the rounds, Ivey took to the podium to inform any rioters how police would handle them should Florida find itself embroiled in a situation like the one unfolding in Los Angeles, California.

A Florida sheriff warned violent protesters that they could end up “graveyard dead” amid the ongoing ICE protests across America. https://t.co/wBv7qvVpwU pic.twitter.com/2UfTLgexch

— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) June 12, 2025

“If you resist lawful orders, you’re going to jail. Let me be very clear about that,” the sheriff said.

“If you block an intersection or a roadway in Brevard County, you are going to jail. If you flee arrest, you are going to jail tired because we are going to run you down and put you in jail,” he continued.

Ivey then addressed one of rioters’ favorite tactics in stopping cars, now seen so many times where the driver is helpless as criminals crowd around it bang on the windows and jump on the hood.

“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,” he told anyone thinking they would be safe doing something so reckless.

“If you spit on us, you’re going to the hospital and to jail,” Ivey added. “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 that we have here.”

Ivey gave the most serious warning of all to rioters in that threatening a police officer’s life would be met with lethal force.

“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 at because we will kill you, graveyard dead,” Ivey commented plainly.

“We’re not going to play. This has got to stop,” he said in conclusion.

Some may find Ivey’s remarks harsh, but the police and ICE did not escalate things to this point, the thugs, rioters, and criminals in the streets did.

Ivey and Florida officials – not to mention every other state – see what’s unfolding in Los Angeles.

The city’s crisis is only being made worse by an incompetent mayor and notoriously bad governor who would rather squabble with President Donald Trump over deportations and politics than support law enforcement’s efforts.

Ivey made things simple – Florida is not California.

WDBJ-7 reported on comments made by Uthmeier to that extent when he said, “Florida is the anti-riot state, and unlike California, we support law enforcement.”

We’re going to see a very different scenario play out if ICE sees more resistance in that state.

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