U.S.
Ron DeSantis' Anti-BLM Protests Law Backfires With Cuban American Protests
BY ANDRE J. ELLINGTON ON 7/13/21 AT 10:21 PM EDT
01:04Secretary of State Blinken Says 'No Policy In The Past' Has Worked For U.S. In Cuba
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U.S.
CUBA
UNITED STATES
PROTESTS
Cuban American protestors shut down a section of the Palmetto Expressway in Miami, Florida, on July 13 to demonstrate unity toward the civil unrest that's currently taking place in Cuba.
"We said, 'We have to stop, and we have to stop on the Palmetto. That's where we're going to get the attention for the people," a protester said.
"These are Cuban Americans. These are Cubans. People are suffering on the island. They're dying, and it's not because of COVID. They're dying because they're killing them, and for the first time in 60 years, that island has flipped upside down. They said that Camaguey has been taken over by the Cuban people."
Cuban Americans protest in Miami
A woman chants slogans during a protest against the Cuban government at Versailles Restaurant in Miami, on July 12, 2021. - Havana on Monday blamed a US "policy of economic suffocation" for unprecedented protests against Cuba's communist government as Washington pointed the finger at "decades of repression" in the one-party state.
EVA MARIE UZCATEGUI / AFP/GETTY IMAGES
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On April 29, 2021, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an "anti-riot" bill into law in the wake of civil unrest that took place with George Floyd in 2020. The bill states that protestors could be arrested if a gathering could be considered a riot. Also, deems blocking a freeway as a felony and gives full immunity to persons who drive through protestors that are blocking a roadway.
DeSantis received a considerable amount of pushback from Democrats who felt that the bill was unfair and targets black and brown communities disproportionately.
Upon signing the bill, DeSantis stated that the bill is needed to protect Florida residents on the road.
"Just think about it: you're driving home from work and all of the sudden, you have people out there shutting down a highway. We worked hard to make sure that didn't happen in Florida," said DeSantis. They start to do that, there needs to be swift penalties."