Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey’s warning to violent protesters ahead of the “No Kings” protests went viral—and sparked backlash from pop star Lizzo, who accused him of threatening peaceful demonstrators. Ivey’s words, issued in a news conference alongside Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, left no room for doubt on how the sheriff would handle violence: “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."
The sheriff’s remarks also escalated as he warned, "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. We’re not going to play."
While Ivey’s comments were clearly aimed at violent protesters, Lizzo interpreted them differently. In a viral Instagram video, the pop star blasted the sheriff, calling his statement unconstitutional and condemning it as a threat to people exercising their First Amendment rights to protest. "It was actually appalling," Lizzo said, further asserting, "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."
However, Ivey didn’t take kindly to the mischaracterization. When Fox News Digital reached out for comment, Ivey said, "Lizzo who?" and added, "What she thinks matters exactly zero to me!" The sheriff doubled down, clarifying that his remarks were about violent protestors, not peaceful demonstrations: “At no time were people peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights ever threatened."
Ivey stressed that his intention was to ensure safety for all citizens and officers, and that while peaceful protests are part of American democracy, violent actions that threaten safety would not be tolerated. "We will provide a safe environment for peaceful protest to take place," Ivey assured.
The debate between Ivey and Lizzo highlights the growing tension surrounding protests and the differing interpretations of how far authorities can go in responding to threats. As the situation continues to unfold, Ivey remains firm on his stance against violence while reaffirming the right to peaceful protest.