With white nationalist Richard Spencer coming to speak at the University of Florida Thursday, Governor Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency and issued an Executive Order. It allows law enforcement agencies from other areas to provide assistance to Gainesville, to prepare for any violent protests that could happen.
In a statement, Governor Scott says he wants to make sure University of Florida and the entire community stay safe, when Richard Spencer comes to speak on the UF campus at 2:30 p.m. Thursday.
During August’s protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, at least 30 people were injured. Most injuries and one death were due to a white supremacist ramming his car into a handful of counter protestors.
Scott says while everyone has a right to voice their opinion, Florida has a zero tolerance for violence, and public safety is his number one priority.
So, in an executive order, he’s allowing Alachua County Sheriff Sadie Darnell to coordinate with other law enforcement agencies from other states, counties, and cities to help deal with any security and safety issues—per her request.
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