A Florida block party ends with arrests and alleged racial profiling over the weekend.
What We Know:
- The block party, that was advertised on social media last week, started out pretty calm on Saturday afternoon but things started to take a turn once the sun began to set.
- Police disrupted the block the party that had approximately 3,000 participants who were mostly African Americans in DeLand, 22 miles outside of Daytona.
- Around 10:30pm, a passenger in a vehicle pointed a rifle or shotgun out of an open widow in the direction of a deputy and pedestrians gathered at a gas station according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
- In another incident at the same block party, two arrests were made after officers were hit with bar stools and mason jars and then sucker punched.
- “Not only was this a public safety issue, but it was a matter of public health” said Chief Umberger. “No one should be getting together in large groups of 50 or more as of today under any circumstances in accordance with the order by Governor DeSantis.”
- Many were frustrated with the police response to the gathering. “Why do they try to take our humanity? Our pride? Its not fair to us- we’re all human,” one unnamed woman was quoted saying.
Police say they didn’t “put the kibosh” on the party because they are happening all over the state of Florida and another would just pop up somewhere else.
