rvice 1M708 Test Message Service 1N708 Test Message Service 1O708 Test Message Service 1P708 Test Message Service 1Q708 Test Message Service 1R708 Test Message Service 1S708 Test Message Service 1T708 Test Message Service 1U708 Test Message Service 1V708
One of them earlier in the
day that went off extremely
well, AND OUR INTENT WAS FOR
THE SECOND ONE TO BE SIMILARLY
UNEVENTFUL AND JUST PROTECT
FOLKS WITH THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
OUR MISSION WAS TO BE AS
INVISIBLE AS POSSIBLE, TO NOT
TAKE AWAY FROM ANYBODY'S
MESSAGE AND HAVE A STRONG
RELEASE PRESENCE, TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEY WERE SAFE, MAKE SURE
THAT ROADS WERE BLOCKED IN CASE
THEY DECIDED TO BECOME MOBILE,
WHICH THEY DID.
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, WE HAD
VERY LITTLE NOTICE ON THIS AND
VERY LITTLE PLANNING WITH THE
ORGANIZERS BECAUSE IT WAS
ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED TO BE AND
WATER HE'LL.
ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF BEFORE
THE EVENT WAS SCHEDULED TO
BEGIN, WE LEARNED IT WAS MOVING
HERE.
WHAT WE PUT TOGETHER WAS
EXTREMELY QUICK AND I THINK
EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE.
THE ORGANIZED PROTEST WENT VERY
WELL, EXPECT EXCEPT FOR SOME
SMALL ACTS OF VANDALISM DURING
THOSE SCHEDULED TIMES.
THERE WAS REALLY NOTHING
REMARKABLE ABOUT WHAT TOOK
PLACE OTHER THAN FOLKS GOT TO
EXPRESS THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT
RIGHTS.
ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER THE
INCIDENT WAS OFFICIALLY OVER,
THE GROUP OF THOSE WHO NEWLY
ARRIVED SPLIT UP INTO THREE
DIFFERENT GROUPS.
ONE REMAINED IN THE PARK.
THE SMALLER GROUP HEADED EAST,
AND ANOTHER GROUP HEADED NORTH.
AT SOME POINT, OUR OFFICERS
WOUND UP IN A CONFRONTATION,
WHICH IS THE MAIN REASON WE ARE
HERE TODAY, AND AN OFFICER GOT
ON HER POLICE RADIO AND ASKED
FOR HELP.
SHE WAS BEING SURROUNDED.
SHE FELT THREATENED, AND OUR
OFFICERS WENT INTO REMOVE HER
FROM THAT SITUATION.
SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ANOTHER
OFFICER WHO WAS IN HER VEHICLE
CAME UNDER ATTACK.
THE CAR WAS JUMPED ON.
THE WINDOWS WERE BROKEN OUT
WHILE SHE WAS IN THERE.
IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT EVENT,
AND I'M GOING TO CLASSIFY THIS
AS ONE LARGE EVENT BECAUSE THE
TIMELINE HAS TO BE PUT TOGETHER,
IS WHEN YOU SAW WHAT WAS ON THE
NEWS, AND BROADCAST THROUGHOUT
SOCIAL MEDIA YESTERDAY AND
TODAY, WAS OUR OFFICER AS HE
PASSED A FEMALE THAT WAS ON THE
GROUND ALREADY, AND APPEARS TO
SHOVE HER AS HE GOES BY HER.
WE HAVE TO PUT THAT TIMELINE
TOGETHER AND IT WILL BE DONE.
THAT OFFICER HAS BEEN REMOVED
FROM CONTACT WITH THE PUBLIC
AND RELIEVED FROM DUTY,
BASICALLY, WHILE THIS IS
INVESTIGATED.
IT IS GOING TO BE INVESTIGATED
FIRST AND FOREMOST TO SEE IF
ANY FLORIDA STATUTES WERE
VIOLATED.
IN OTHER WORDS, A CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATION IS GOING TO
COMMENCE THAT THE FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
IS GOING TO DO.
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL IN A POLICE
CASE OF USE OF FORCE.
ESTATE ATTORNEY AGREES IN THIS
CIRCUMSTANCE, ESPECIALLY FOR
TRANSPARENCY AND OBJECTIVITY
THAT THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
LAW ENFORCEMENT CONDUCT THE
INVESTIGATION INTO WHETHER OUR
OFFICER VIOLATED ANY CRIMINAL
STATUTES.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THAT
INVESTIGATION IS WHEN WE WILL
CONDUCT AN ADMINISTRATIVE
INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE
WHETHER THE OFFICER WAS IN
VIOLATION OF ANY DEPARTMENT
POLICIES OR PROCEDURES.
AT THIS POINT, I WILL TAKE ANY
QUESTIONS.
Reporter: DO YOU BELIEVE
YOUR OFFICER'S ACTIONS
ESCALATED WHAT HAPPENED AFTER
THAT?
IT'S VERY EARLY TO MAKE THAT
CONCLUSION, BUT INITIALLY, I
DON'T THINK THE OFFICER'S ACTION
CREATED WHAT OCCURRED.
LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WE WERE IN
THE PROCESS OF AN OFFICER
RESCUE WHICH TURNED INTO A
SECOND OFFICER RESCUE.
FOLKS ARRIVED AT THIS EVENT
WITH SPRAY PAINT, PROJECTILES,
GAS MASKS, MILK, SO, DO I THINK
THAT CERTAIN FOLKS CAME HERE TO
TAKE AWAY FROM THE MESSAGE OF
THE LARGER GROUP?
WHEN THEY CAME HERE WITH THOSE
THINGS, INCLUDING FIREWORKS, AS
WELL?
I THINK IT WAS PREPLANNED.
Reporter: IT ESCALATED FROM
THERE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE VIDEO,
PEOPLE STARTED THROWING THINGS
AT OFFICERS AFTER HE PUSHED
THAT PERSON OUT OF THE WAY.
IT COULD HAVE.
THAT'S A REASONABLE CONCLUSION.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS IN
PEOPLE'S MINDS.
WHEN THEY INTERVIEW THE
WITNESSES, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO
EXPLAINED THAT.
ABSOLUTELY, IT COULD HAVE ADDED
TO WHAT WAS ALREADY GOING ON.
I DO WANT TO COMMEND THE
OFFICER THAT DID WHAT SHE WAS
SUPPOSED TO DO, AND THAT'S WHEN
YOU SEE ADRENALINE OR EMOTIONS,
OR SOME TYPE OF INTERACTION
GOING SOUTH, WHETHER IT
INVOLVES TWO CIVILIANS, A
CIVILIAN AND A LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICER, OR EVEN TWO OFFICERS,
OUR DUTY IS TO RESTORE PEACE TO
WHATEVER IS GOING ON, SO I DO
COMMEND HER FOR SEEING THAT
THERE WAS A NEGATIVE
CONFRONTATION GOING ON AND SHE
DID WHAT SHE NEEDED TO DO TO
SUSPECTED OF DOING DAMAGE TO
BUSINESSES?
IT'S HARD TO TELL BECAUSE
YOU DON'T SIGN UP TO BE PART OF
THESE EVENTS.
WE DON'T KNOW WHO EXACTLY IS
THERE OR WITH WHOM.
PEOPLE CAME AND LEFT.
WE HAD OVER 1000 PEOPLE.
THERE WERE DEFINITELY NEW
ARRIVALS LATER IN THE EVENING,
BUT I COULDN'T TELL YOU IF THAT
WAS ORGANIZED.
SOME PEOPLE WENT EAST AND
OTHERS WENT NORTH TOWARD THE
PARKING GARAGE AND SECOND
STREET.
ABOUT 200 REMAINED IN THE PARK.
THE CROWD GOT SMALLER, BUT I
COULDN'T TELL YOU WHO IS WHO.
FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD SO
FAR, WE'VE ONLY MADE TWO ARRESTS
IN THE ENTIRE INCIDENT.
THERE HAVE BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT
INJURIES TO EITHER POLICE
OFFICERS OR CITIZENS.
QUITE A FEW BUSINESSES
SUSTAINED DAMAGE RANGING FROM
SPRAY PAINT TO BROKEN WINDOWS,
BUT NO FIRES, NO SIGNIFICANT
DAMAGE.
I HAVE NOT BEEN INFORMED OF
MAJOR PROPERTY LOSS.
OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULD HAVE LOVE
FOR IT TO END AT 6:00, BUT WE
COULDN'T CONTROL THE NARRATIVE.
THE OFFICER HAS BEEN WITH THE
FORT LAUDERDALE POLICE
DEPARTMENT SINCE OCTOBER 2016.
PRIOR TO THAT, HE WORKED FOR
THE FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL.
IF A PROTESTER HAD SHOVED THE
OFFICER, HE IMMEDIATELY WOULD
HAVE BEEN ARRESTED.
WHEREAS WITH THE OFFICER,
THERE'S AN INVESTIGATION.
PEOPLE ARE SAYING, THAT'S THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SAME
ACTION VERSUS THE IMPACT WITH A
BADGE.
I AM GLAD YOU ASKED THAT
QUESTION.
WE MADE TWO ARREST.
ONE WAS THEFT RELATED AND ONE
WAS FOR AN OUTSTANDING WARRANT.
FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD, THEY WERE
BOTH INSIDE A BUSINESS THAT HAD
BEEN BREACHED.
NOBODY WAS ARRESTED FOR
ASSAULTING A POLICE OFFICER.
AS EVERYBODY SAW YESTERDAY, WE
WERE GETTING FIREWORKS, ROCKS
THROWN AT US, ALL TYPES OF
PROJECTILES.
SOME OFFICERS GOT HIT SQUARE IN
THE FACE WITH BRICKS.
THANK GOD THEY HAD THEIR FACE
SHIELDS ON.
MANY OFFICERS GOT HIT WITH
PROJECTILES.
I AM NOT INFORMED OF ANY
ARRESTS FOR SOMEONE ASSAULTING
A POLICE OFFICER SO THAT
NARRATIVE IS NOT ACCURATE FOR
QUESTION ]
NO, NO.
[ INAUDIBLE QUESTION ]
THE ORGANIZED GROUP IS WHAT
I WAS SPEAKING OUT.
THEY PARTNER WITH BLACK LIVES
MATTER.
WE HAD -- I DON'T EVEN WANT TO
CALL IT A PROTEST.
A DEMONSTRATION EARLIER, WHERE
A GROUP OR FROM AN ADDRESS, A
STORE, AND WALKED TO THE PUBLIC
SAFETY BUILDING, NOT FOR EIGHT
MINUTES, AND THEN THEY WALKED
BACK.
BOTH US AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE
MADE SURE THERE PATH OF TRAVEL
WAS SAFE, AND WE WENT ALONG
WITH THEM.
THIS GROUP IS THE SECOND GROUP.
THIS EVENT WAS SCHEDULED TO
TAKE PLACE IN LAUDERHILL, AT
444 AND SUNRISE.
AN HOUR AND A HALF BEFORE THE
EVENT, WE LEARNED IT WAS BEING
MOVED TO FORT LAUDERDALE
BECAUSE OF CANCELLATIONS.
Reporter: [ INAUDIBLE
QUESTION ]
I DON'T KNOW FOR YESTERDAY,
BUT TYPICALLY WHEN THERE ARE
EVENTS SUCH AS THESE, IF YOU
REMEMBER WHEN THE FDA WAS HERE,
THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE THAT
FOLLOW THE PROTEST CIRCUIT, AND
COME FROM OTHER PLACES.
SOME BECAUSE IT CAUSES THEY
BELIEVE IN.
OTHERS BECAUSE THEY ARE INTENT
ON CAUSING MAYHEM AND
COMMITTING TROUBLE.
THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.
Reporter: DO YOU THINK THESE
FOLKS CAME FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE?
DO YOU HAVE ADDRESSES?
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE TWO
RESIDE, BUT THOSE ARE THE ONLY
TWO I CAN DETERMINE.
Reporter: [ INAUDIBLE
QUESTION ]
MOBILE, IN VEHICLES, CARRYING
THESE THINGS WITH THEM, ARE YOU
GUYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY
TO DEFEND THEM WHEN THEY
INTERSPERSED IN THE CROWD?
HOW DO YOU POLICE THAT?
IT'S AN ASYMMETRICAL KIND OF
THREAT.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT AND
EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME FIRST
AMENDMENT RIGHT.
EVERYBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO COME
TO A PUBLIC EVENT LIKE THAT
UNTIL THEY BREAK A LAW.
THEN ACTION CAN BE TAKEN.
TO BE HONEST, IT DOESN'T DO
ANYBODY ANY GOOD.
THE ORGANIZED GROUP THAT WAS
HERE TO MAKE A POINT, I THINK
WHAT HAPPENS DELUZ FROM THEIR
MESSAGE BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL
SAY, THIS WASN'T ORGANIZED.
THIS WAS INTENT ON COMMITTING
DAMAGE AND ASSAULTING POLICE,
AND IT TAKES AWAY FROM WHAT WE
ARE TRYING TO DO AND THAT
PROVIDE A PEACEFUL EVENT.
FOR THE ENTIRE DAY, ALL WE DID
WAS CLEAR A LARGE PATH FOR
EVERYBODY TO DO WHAT THEY HAD
TO DO, NOT BE DISTURBED, AND
GET THEIR MESSAGE OUT.
THE DEMONSTRATORS WERE
INTERACTING WITH EACH OTHER ALL
DAY LONG.
UNTIL THIS POINT SHORTLY BEFORE
7:00, WHICH WAS NEARLY ONE HOUR
AFTER THE EVENT OFFICIALLY
ENDED.
Reporter: WHEN YOU SEE THE
LOOTING, THE DAMAGE VANDALS
HAVE DONE, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
SAYING, THEY ARE DOING THIS
BECAUSE THEY ARE ANGRY, THEY
ARE MAD, AND THEY WANT THE
RESPONSE FROM LOCAL POLICE,
WHEN A BLACK MAN IS KILLED,
THERE'S NOTHING ABOUT HOW TO
STOP THIS.
BUT NOW THEY ARE DOING THIS
BECAUSE THEY ARE FORCING
REACTIONS OUT OF OFFICIALS BY
TAKING PART IN THIS BEHAVIOR.
FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T ACCEPT
THAT PREMISE.
I DON'T ACCEPT THAT THE
BEHAVIOR IN MINNEAPOLIS HAPPENS
IN FORT LAUDERDALE.
THEY WERE PROTESTING AGAINST
SOMETHING THAT TOOK PLACE 2000
MILES AWAY.
THOSE THAT THINK THEY ARE GOING
TO GET OUR ATTENTION, WHERE
HAVE THEY BEEN FOR ALL THESE
YEARS?
WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN PARTNERING
WITH OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS, OUR
COMMUNITY FOLKS, MAKING SURE
THAT DIALOGUE CONTINUES AND
MAKING SURE WE HAVE EQUALITY
AND JUSTICE.
WE DON'T EXERCISE THAT IN OUR
COMMUNITY.
THEY SIMPLY DISTRACTED
EVERYBODY FROM THE TRUE MESSAGE
THAT THIS DEMONSTRATION WAS
INTENDED TO ADDRESS, AND THAT
MESSAGE WAS ABOUT EQUALITY.
THAT MESSAGE WAS ABOUT CERTAIN
GROUPS CONSTANTLY BEING
HARASSED AND HARANGUED OVER WHO
THEY ARE AS A MINORITY.
AND HONESTLY, IT'S NOT JUST THE
BLACK COMMUNITY.
JEWS AND GAYS ARE ALSO BEING
ATTACKED.
YESTERDAY, SPEAKER AFTER
SPEAKER SPOKE ABOUT ALL
OPPRESSED COMMUNITIES.
THIS COMMUNITY HAS NOT SUFFERED
LIKE OTHER COMMUNITIES.
I'M NOT SAYING WE CAN'T BE
BETTER.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT DIALOGUE
CAN'T CONTINUE, BUT IN NO WAY
DID WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY
JUSTIFIED BASED ON WHAT GOES ON
IN THIS COMMUNITY.
IT'S AN OPEN, FREE, PEACEFUL
I SAW THE VIDEO WITH THE POLICE
OFFICER, I THOUGHT THAT SHOULD
NEVER HAVE HAPPENED AND I
APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THE
DEPARTMENT HAS RELIEVED HIM OF
DUTY, WHILE THIS INVESTIGATION
HAPPENS.
I UNDERSTAND THE STATE ATTORNEY
HAS OPENED AN INVESTIGATION TO
GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS, AND
IT WAS DETERMINED BY THOSE
AGENCIES THAT SOMETHING WRONG
WAS DONE.
WE WILL FOLLOW A SWIFT
DISCIPLINARY ACTION IF THAT
HAPPENS.
WE ARE NOT AFRAID TO DO THAT
BECAUSE IF THERE IS A WR
Reporter: [ INAUDIBLE
QUESTION ]
WE NEVER REGRET GIVING
PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE
HEARD.
WHAT WE DO REGRET IS PEOPLE WHO
TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
SITUATIONS LIKE THAT AND PRAY
ON THE INNOCENT.
THE INNOCENT WHO ARE OUT THERE
TO TRY TO CONVEY A PEACEFUL
MESSAGE.
THEY THOUGHT THIS WAS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO WREAK
HAVOC.
IT'S HAPPENING ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY.
THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED
INCIDENT.
EVEN FOX NEWS TALKS ABOUT IT.
THE POINT IS, WE ARE IN A STAGE
IN AMERICA, WHERE PEOPLE ARE
USING THIS.
THEY ARE OPPORTUNISTIC VANDALS.
THEY GO AROUND NOT BECAUSE THEY
HAVE A PARTICULAR MESSAGE, BUT
THEY ARE TRYING TO DISRUPT THE
MESSAGE OF OTHERS, WHICH IS
PEACEFUL, HONEST, AND SHOULD
HOPEFULLY BRING AM
Reporter: [ INAUDIBLE
QUESTION ]
THE CURFEW WAS 9:00 P.M.
TO 6:00 A.M.
THIS MORNING BY BOTH US AND THE
COUNTY.
THE COUNTY'S WAS LAST NIGHT.
THE CITY WILL CONTINUE UNTIL WE
SUSPEND IT.
IT WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT.
Reporter: HOW DO YOU GAUGE
WHEN TO SUSPEND IT?
WE WILL BASE OUR INFORMATION
ON THE POLICE REPORT AND WHAT
INTELLIGENCE TELLS US AS FAR AS
THESE GROUPS ORGANIZING AGAIN.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SEE
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH INTERNET
CHATTER.
WE CAN ANTICIPATE THINGS.
SATURDAY NIGHT, WE FOUND OUT
THEY WERE GOING TO GO TO THE
GALLERIA MALL AND START LOOTING
THERE.
ABOUT 70 PEOPLE SWARMED THE
GALLERIA.
ARMED POLICE OFFICERS
SURROUNDED THE MALL.
THEY ESCAPED, KNOWING THEY
WOULD BE TRAPPED BY POLICE.
THEY ARE NOT HERE FOR JUSTICE.
THEY ARE HERE TO WREAK HAVOC.
THAT WAS SATURDAY.
THESE INCIDENTS CONTINUE TO
HAPPEN AND YESTERDAY WAS JUST
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO
IMPOSE THEIR INJUSTICE ON THE
ENVIRONMENT.
Reporter: DID YOU IDENTIFY
CHIEF CRYSTAL SMITH, SHE IS NOT
UNDER INVESTIGATION.
DO YOU IDENTIFY THAT'S HER?
THAT IS HER.
WE ARE GOING TO WRAP IT UP.
WE HAVE AND TAKEN INVENTORY
EDITION WE ARE GOING TO GO
THERE TODAY AND SEE WHAT
HAPPENED.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE A COUPLE
DAYS.
THERE'S NO DOUBT PEOPLE WERE
HERE TO SEARCH AND DESTROY.
Reporter: [ INAUDIBLE