DeSantis Vows Florida to 'Act Very Quickly' Against Disorderly Protests in State Capitol

By Dana Cruz First Posted: Jan 12, 2021 11:30 PM EST

(Photo : Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference about the opening of a COVID-19 vaccination site at the Hard Rock Stadium on January 06, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Florida officials will be prepared in case any unrest or protests take place in the state Capitol ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, Governor Ron DeSantis vowed on Tuesday.

DeSantis warned that if anyone planned to participate in armed protests in Florida's Capitol, they will be facing law enforcement "reinforcements."

"If anything is disorderly, we're going to act very quickly. Don't worry about that," DeSantis said."

The Florida governor's comments were in response to an FBI report saying groups had plans to hold protests in all 50 U.S. state capitols ahead of the inauguration, said a report from WUSF.

This information was received by the FBI on Friday, January 8, two days after the violent Capitol siege. According to DeSantis, groups have been calling onto other to join them in "storming" state, local and federal buildings if President Donald Trump was removed from his seat prior to January 20.

He added that the groups "storm" these state offices, including in the District of Columbia, regardless of whether the state cases certified electoral votes for Trump or not, he said.

But DeSantis didn't want to be threatened by the FBI report.

"I don't care why you are doing it. You are not doing it here," he said.

DeSantis Refuses to Criticize Trump

Despite accusations that the president had chief responsibility over the Capitol siege, DeSantis refused to acknowledge this role for Trump.

He has not issued criticism against Trump for inciting the riots, noted a Politico report.

When asked whether Trump should be held accountable for the riots, the governor did not respond, said a report from Newsmax.

Instead, he commented about the "difficult situation" faced by Capitol police at the time.

"To be able to steer a huge mob of people away from doing a lot of other people harm - so good on them," he said in a Click Orlando report.

Five people died in the uprising, including a Capitol officer. For DeSantis, more lives would have been lost if it weren't for the officers to did what they could to control the situation.

Several arrests made during the Capitol riot were for Florida residents.

Florida Lawmakers to Work Remotely Amid Threats of Protests

So far, the state has not found any official word of copy-cat protests near their state Capitol, said DeSantis. He also admitted that hasn't been made aware of any "specific" targeting for Tallahassee.

Click Orlando added that the governor was pushed by recent tensions over the presidential election to urge Florida lawmakers to pass a law aimed at providing harsher consequences for protesters.

He vowed to make sure that someone who assaults a law enforcer amid a violent assembly would "definitely go to jail," among other penalties.

In the meantime, State Senate President Wilton Simpson sent a memo to all staff saying they will be doing their work remotely on Sunday.

The state's Capitol has been closed for the most part of the pandemic but legislators will hold committee meetings this week.

Simpson warned that it was "very likely" that protesters will be outside the complex on Sunday, the day "armed" marches were said to be planned on all states and Washington.