Brevard County, Florida: On Friday, June 12, 2025, Sheriff Wayne Ivey announced at a press conference that he had a warning for protesters
“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 because we will kill you—graveyard dead. We’re not going to play.”
Ivey stressed that while peaceful protest is protected, “the key word in that is ‘peaceful.”
He said that any aggression toward officers, including spitting, striking, or attempting to mob vehicles, would be met with force or arrest:
-
Spitting on deputies: “you’re going to the hospital, then jail.”
-
Hitting deputies: “you’re going to the hospital, jail, and most likely get bitten by one of our big, beautiful dogs.”
-
Blocking traffic or “mob-ruling” a vehicle: “you’re most likely going to get run over and dragged across the street.”
This declaration came as nationwide “No Kings” protests were planned for June 14, coinciding with a military parade in Washington, D.C., marking President Trump’s birthday and the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary.
