Protesters Gather In Opposition Of Proposed 'Anti-Riot' Bill

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — About 100 protesters from Black Lives Matter groups and other organizations gathered outside St. Petersburg City Hall Friday night to mark the recent police killings of Daunte Wright of Minnesota and 13-year-old Adam Toledo of Chicago.

This protest was a change compared to last year's demonstrations following George Floyd's death in Minneapolis. In 2020, some protesters blocked St. Pete streets, looted businesses, brought weapons such as Molotov cocktails and loaded guns to protests, lay in intersections, and at times threatened reporters.

In the wake of the "anti-riot" bill the Florida Senate passed on Thursday, and Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to sign in the coming week, protest leader Jalessa Blackshear warned the protesters before they began their march from city hall onto Second Ave North toward Beach Drive that they needed to stay on the sidewalks and not bother businesses.

"I'm glad that we have all been called here in respect of the terrifying legislation that has passed in the senate," Backshear said to the crowd. "It's mind-boggling that our First Amendment right is literally going to be shucked away from us. But we have to continue to organize.

"I feel like this is the last day. So what is going to happen after we leave here today? We need to remain civically engaged. Each one of you are out here participating civilly...if you cannot control yourself when there is aggression, because there is going to be a lot of aggression, then I would recommend that you not participate in this march."

Blackshear told reporters during the march that she doesn't expect to lead marches in the near future because of the fear surrounding the looming "anti-riot" bill. She doesn't want for herself or any of the protesters to be charged with felonies.

The language in the bill establishes third-degree felonies for property damage, injuring a person or obstructing roads; second-degree felonies for destroying or toppling monuments; and first-degree misdemeanors of harassment for confrontations in public spaces, such as confronting elected officials in restaurants, according to NBC.

The legislators also propose hefty fines and mandatory jail sentences from 30 days to four years depending on the offense, the outlet reported.

(Video by Skyla Luckey | Patch)

Protesters stayed on the sidewalks as they silently marched with their fists in the air on Second Avenue North. After they crossed Beach Drive from Cassis to the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg is when they began their chants and continued along the sidewalk.

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