DeSantis: Florida drivers have right to hit protesters if they need to 'flee for your safety'

[GJGCA]

Source: The Hill

“If you’re driving on one of those streets and a mob comes and surrounds your vehicle and threatens you, you have a right to flee for your safety, and so if you drive off and you hit one of these people, that’s their fault for impinging on you,”

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5346295-desantis-florida-immigration-protests-drivers/

[rampartd]

1. a better answer might be to avoid the protest area

but driving cars into "hippies' isa favorite maga fantasy.

rip heather heyer

[Traildogbob]

2. They will "kill protesters dead"

And the sheriff will make them deputies. And they will reach toward heaven in church Sunday Praising their Lord, the Donald.

[orangecrush]

4. All fun and games

Till they get their windows smashed out and drug out of the car by the crowd.

DeSatan doesn't care about the protestors or the MAGATs.

[orangecrush]

3. Inciting violence

[Silent Type]

5. Guarantee I'd hit accelerator after warning if Proud Boys, Oaf Keepers, Klan, surrounded my car.

DeSantis can eat chit if he’s encouraging plowing into innocent protesters, otherwise.

[Igel]

7. I find it a self-defeating claim.

If a group of protestors has surrounded you and threatened you, "stand your ground" is the only choice because what's on offer is "beaten into the ground."

You throw a punch because you're threatened and don't want to be detained against your will? That's assault! I guess. But not really. Well, it is, but some kinds of assault we call "mayhem," others we call "domestic abuse," others we call "self-defense." Can be the same acts, but the reasons are a wee bit different.

Same if you're in a car. Try not to kill the "peaceful protestors," of course, but ifthey threaten you they've waived their right to claims of innocence.

[sop]

28. Also groups of heavily armed, masked men with no identification trying to break your windows and kidnap you.

[chouchou]

6. Ignorant President, Ignorant Governor, equals Ignorant voters.

[turbinetree]

8. Hey Desantis how many of the traitors from your state where in Washington on Jan 6th

do you fucking know .............at least 87 and guess what your Publix heiress also had buses going to that shit show.........and you have the gall to tell drivers to run over people..............what you said is against the law...........and that Brevard country sheriff is also a piece of work.........

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/06/13/protests-violence-florida-sheriff/84186122007/


you and him keep forgetting about that pesky 1st Amendment.................

[Figarosmom]

22. They are all out and out

Declaring war on liberals. And saying so, out in the open.

[Fullduplexxx]

9. Stand your ground

[BidenRocks]

10. These fucks are really underestimating our non-violence stand.

Even with the entire military, we outnumber you.
How many Americans are you willing to massacre?
I want an answer!

[sakabatou]

11. DeSantis: Vehicular assault is now A-OK.

[cstanleytech]

12. I'd pop my car into park and put my pair of gun ear protectors on and hit the car alarm.

Those alarms are so annoying that the crowd would probably disperse pretty fast.
Also, in case you're wondering the only reason I have the ear protectors is for the rare occasion of once or twice a year that I might go to the movie theater as loud noise hurts my ears and gives me headaches.........which is the main reason why I rarely go to the theater.
That and the cost of tickets.

[dchill]

13. Is "impinging on you" a specific enough...

definition of an offense? In Florida, does it need to be? Cuz I'm pretty sure Ron DeSantis just impinged on me.

[republianmushroom]

14. And that protester is carrying a .357 mag and stands his ground.

Will be interesting, to say the lease.

[OldBaldy1701E]

15. Well, that is vehicular assault. So, that means I can protect myself?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[madville]

17. Depends on the scenario

Lots of variables, some that would allow for self defense and some that wouldn’t.

Obviously the best way to not get run over is to stay out of the road and not stand directly in front of vehicles.

[OldBaldy1701E]

24. And, when one of those excuses for humans decides that the sidewalk is a better pathway?

Or a yard, or a pedestrian path through the city?

This is open season. There will be no scenarios that end with anyone getting punished for purposefully running over people who are exercising their right to protest. Sure, don't get in the road. My point is that they will not worry about staying in the road once this starts to happen.

[madville]

16. Best just to avoid any areas

That have protests or any disruptive activities going on. Hypothetically if an angry mob surrounded my truck and started breaking the windows, I’m hitting the gas and leaving the area, I don’t care who they are or which side they’re on. I’d call the authorities of course and report it and also provide my dash camera video, we’d just have to sort it out after the fact if there are any issues.

I’m going to avoid the city completely this weekend, that’s the best strategy.

[hay rick]

18. DeSantis is a pouting juvenile.

He's aching to take national spotlight aggressive action against peaceful demonstrators. I think he's been told to wait for his turn. Too many fascist wannabe cosplayers are already signed up for this weekend.

[markodochartaigh]

19. No "both sides" here I guess

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/activists-lawyers-see-double-standard-florida-s-response-cuba-demonstrations-n1274120

[Skittles]

20. JFC

WHAT A SICK POS HE IS

[Figarosmom]

21. So he's saying it's open season on protesters 🚗🚓

This way they get a protester injured or killed without the cops being involved at all. Next he'll be reminding people that it's a stand your ground state and if the mob is coming at you, you can shoot.ala Rittenhouse.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

23. Kyle Rittenhouse: Mom, can I borrow the truck?

[Canada Kid]

25. Indiscriminate running over people!

Hey DeSantis....can I use your face to pound out the dents??

[no_hypocrisy]

26. What a feckless misuse of the legal doctrine of Justification.

Justification is a legal defense in criminal liability, used sparingly.

Justification is a type of defense that exempts the defendant from liability because the defendant's actions were justified, or not wrong. In other words, a defendant with a valid justification will not suffer the usual penalty for their actions because in the eyes of the court, the defendant could not have been asked to act any differently in this situation. For example, if a defendant is charged with assault, the defendant may use a justification defense of self-defense to claim the actions were reasonable and not wrong given the circumstances.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/justification

[Sancho]

27. Can protesters "Stand their ground" and shoot at the automobile? Just asking,,,

[doc03]

29. They surrounded my car, I felt threatened. I have a right to defend myself.

[BobsYourUncle]

30. Florida passed the Combatting Public Disorder Act...

Signed by his nibs in 2021.

[TommieMommy]

31. OMG no no no no 😡

[thought crime]

32. His words sound too much like encouragement.