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Florida Sheriff Claps Back At Singer’s Criticism Over Handling Violent Protesters

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Lizzo
Photo Credit: "2018 Lizzo (43898197344)" by David Lee from Redmond, WA, USA is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/?ref=openverse.

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey attracted national attention and caused a stir online after issuing a no-nonsense warning to protesters contemplating violent actions against law enforcement.

His remarks, made during a press conference ahead of planned nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations, triggered a fiery response from pop singer Lizzo, who voiced her disapproval on social media.

During a news conference joined by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, Sheriff Ivey outlined his department’s approach to handling violent incidents involving protesters.

His stern statement left little room for misinterpretation when he warned protesters that attacked law enforcement would end up “graveyard dead.”

“If you spit on us, you’re going to the hospital and then jail. If you hit one of us, you’re going to the hospital and then jail and most likely get bitten by one of our big beautiful dogs that we have here,” he declared.

Turning his focus to more severe scenarios, Ivey warned, “If you throw a brick, firebomb, or point a gun at one of our deputies, we will be notifying your family where to collect your remains at.”

“Because we will kill you graveyard dead,” he added. “We’re not going to play.”
Ivey did point out that peaceful protests are welcome and a protected democratic right.

“The key word in that is peaceful,” he affirmed. “If you let it turn violent … you do not want to do that in Brevard County.”

The comments gained traction online and were later addressed by liberal pop star Lizzo in an Instagram video.

She appeared to accuse law enforcement of undermining constitutional freedoms, remarking, “I just watched a video of law enforcement saying they would kill — kill anyone who exercises their First Amendment rights to protest.”

“And I’ve never seen anything more unconstitutional in my life. It was actually appalling,” the “Truth Hurts” singer continued.

She referred to the Crispus Attucks, recognized as the first casualty of the American Revolution, to underline the historical significance of protest.

“It is the literal reason why we have our First Amendment right to assemble. And now, here we are in a constitutional crisis,” she said.

Lizzo’s video concluded with a rhetoric defending the right to protest.

“We don’t serve a king. We don’t serve a dictator. We fought, and lived, and died for the right to vote for people who will protect and serve us, the people,” she wrapped up.

“And when that gets threatened, when that gets challenged, we just have to get louder. We just have to get prouder. It’s the American thing to do,” she proclaimed.

“I want to encourage everybody to remember their constitutional rights. I want to encourage everybody to also protect each other,” the Grammy winner concluded.

“Because the people that we put in position to protect us are not doing that. Know your rights, and stand on ’em.”

Responding to Lizzo’s video, Sheriff Ivey dismissed the claims and criticized what he viewed as mischaracterization of his remarks.

Reaching out to Fox News Digital, he clarified his position. “Lizzo who?” he quipped.

“Until earlier tonight, I had never heard of her. So what she thinks matters exactly zero to me!” Ivey continued.

“She clearly didn’t listen to what was actually said during the press conference, as is evidenced by how inaccurate her quote is.”

“At no time were people peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights [ever] threatened, as what was actually said was that peaceful protests are part of our democracy, and we will provide a safe environment for peaceful protest to take place!” he went on.

“My warnings were directed at violent protesters whose actions would put citizens and law enforcement officers’ lives at risk!”

Sheriff Ivey’s remarks were made against the backdrop of the “No Kings” protests, which reflect growing tensions surrounding immigration enforcement policies and constitutional liberties, among other issues.

These protests come amid heightened scrutiny of law enforcement tactics during public demonstrations across the nation.

The pop star has previously made headlines for her criticism of President Donald Trump and his policies.

During a military parade celebrating the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary held in Washington, D.C., on June 14, a cover of Lizzo’s hit single “About Damn Time” was featured in a concert at the Washington Monument.

Lizzo publicly reacted to this on TikTok, sharing a video of herself appearing visibly unimpressed and captioning it with a straightforward message, “Cease & desist.”

Lizzo has also used public platforms to critique Trump’s administration.

During an April performance on “Saturday Night Live,” she donned a bold crop top with the word “TARRIFIED” emblazoned in crimson letters.

The statement was widely interpreted as a jab at Trump’s economic tariffs.

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