This video story was reported and produced by Deanna Lampasona.
Last month, Florida state representatives passed a bill that looks to make protesting punishable by up to 15 years if voted into law. The proposed bill also protects counter-protestors from legal penalty if they were to harm a protester. The bill is titled the “Anti-Riot Bill,” with the name was created by Gov. Ron DeSantis after the riots and Black Lives Matter protests as a result of the killing of George Floyd.
Native American rights activist and leader of Florida Indigenous Rights and Environmental Equality Alicia Norris felt firsthand the effects of what this bill can cause toward the peaceful population of protesters.
“We had one of our fellow members that was recently hit by a car while we were standing in solidarity with another group. And they brought charges to our member,” said Norris.
The Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren believes the bill should be much lower on the DeSantis’ lists as there are more pressing matters.
In the Bay area, activist groups such as the Black Collective movement have organized protests to recent racial injustice at the hands of police. These protests are set to take place at the campus of the University of South Florida as well as in Downtown Tampa.
The civil rights group also organizes street cleanups, carpools, fundraisers, and prayer circles, yet law enforcement has met their actions with rubber bullets, tear gas, pepper spray, and handcuffs. Protester Emadi Okwuosa was peacefully protesting in Curtis Hixon park when he was arrested which created long-term effects.
“After being arrested in Tampa, I’ve had PTSD because I’ve understood the power and the amount of control that police officers have if they wanted to lie on somebody’s name right now and imprison them for a certain amount of years, they could,” said Okwuosa”
Locals are demanding numerous changes from the Tampa Police department mainly being the reallocating of funds. They’re pushing for more funds to be put toward Mental health services, foster care, and combatting homelessness.
Activists hope that strength in numbers leads to progress toward a much more open forum and the ability to continue striving toward equality. With the Black Lives Matter movement being nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize, activists are constantly taking steps in the right direction, their supporters say.
