Florida Sheriff Says He Would "Deputize" Gun Owners If Protests Erupt

A Florida sheriff said he would “deputize … every lawful gun owner in the county” if protests took place in the area. In a video posted on June 30, he said these “special deputies” would “stand in the gap between lawlessness and civility.”

Sheriff Darryl Daniels added: “If you threaten to come to Clay County and think that for one second that we’ll bend our backs for you, you’re sadly mistaken.”

In the video, posted to Facebook, he said, “We’ll protect your constitutional rights as long as you remain under the umbrella of peaceful protest.”

He concluded: “If we can’t handle you … I’ll exercise the power and authority as the sheriff and I’ll make special deputies of every lawful gun owner in this county, and I’ll deputize them to this one purpose: to stand in the gap between lawlessness and civility.” Credit: Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Florida via Storyful