Jacksonville Mayor, Sheriff address riots, aftermath
Dozens of police responded to Newnan Street in full riot gear and armor and began sweeping the streets of protesters following violent clashes. Photo by Drew Dixon.

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Antifa may have agitated, the Sheriff said.

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and Sheriff Mike Williams briefed media on Tuesday after days of protests rocked the city.

The Mayor and Sheriff had previously briefed the Jacksonville City Council, and convened for a formal press conference even as the Council was wrapping its meeting.

The Mayor noted the “small group of bad actors” that came out to vandalize, attack officers, and commit other acts of violence, as he largely reiterated remarks made the hour before.

“We will not stand for that kind of violence in Jacksonville,” Curry said.

The source of that violence is still being investigated, the Sheriff said.

“Our federal partners will be digging into the backgrounds of all the people involved in the protest,” Williams vowed, noting there was evident coordination consistent with antifa activities.

“Tactically … we can compare that to other cities and see a lot of similarities,” Williams said, noting “some type of influence” from outside groups.

Molotov Cocktails, gasoline-filled balloons, and other hallmarks of rioting were found Sunday, Williams added, leading his department to ask for the state of emergency and the curfew.

Williams offered a recap of the timeline, noting more than 3,000 people were downtown Saturday afternoon.

“After two hours,” Williams said, “the main peaceful part of the protest ended … of those remained, about 400 people continued to stay downtown during the day … and things began to happen.”

Traffic disruptions became “bricks, rocks, and bottles thrown” and “police officers being attacked.”

Four officers were injured Saturday night: One slashed with a blade, two hit with bricks, and another with a tree limb.

“All officers are recovering fine,” Williams said.

Sunday’s action saw a movement through the city, with more traffic disruptions, including trying to block the Main Street Bridge and other actions denoting a “more lawless group.”

“As Sunday progressed … our posture was not to allow incremental steps toward the rioting again,” Williams said, saying it was “no longer a peaceful assembly.”

“I think it really helped us on Sunday night,” Williams noted about the curfew, adding that “you can’t go from breaking the law to peaceful protest.”

Going forward, Williams urged local lawmakers to focus more on concrete actions, like improving infrastructure and other deficiencies in African-American neighborhoods, rather than focusing on symbolic measures, such as photo-ops, which have been tried before to no avail.

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. His work also can be seen in the Washington Post, the New York Post, the Washington Times, and National Review, among other publications. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


4 comments

  • Frankie M.

    June 2, 2020 at 1:44 pm

    Sooo the photo op administration wants to relinquish the crown.

    Going forward, Williams urged local lawmakers to focus more on concrete actions, like improving infrastructure and other deficiencies in African-American neighborhoods.

    Maybe this can come out of JSO’s bloated budget? After all we’re not gonna arrest our way out of this hole. Thanks for being the sacrificial lamb sheriff.

  • Sonja Fitch

    June 2, 2020 at 3:31 pm

    BS every word uttered by looting Lenny and sorry sheriff

  • Mad as Hell

    June 2, 2020 at 8:57 pm

    I am sure the Sherriffs office learned, Take control of the looters, DOMINATE THEM!!! you cannot appease these people, the only thing they know is violence. So, you have to use violence against them.. They are like rabid dogs, pepper spray them, use batons, whatever is necessary to control the situation and to stop the destruction of businesses. Way to go JSO, Mike Williams and Mayor Curry, never let this happen again

    • Don the Con

      June 6, 2020 at 3:28 pm

      Mad as hell and stupid too boot. fuck #racist ajacKKKsonville

Comments are closed.


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