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Broward County Deputies Told Not To Enforce Anti-Riot Law

A Champs Sports store burns in Tampa on May 31, 2020, following a protest over the death of George Floyd. Terrance Lee Hester Jr., 20, pleaded guilty in Tampa federal court to starting the fire.
Twitter/Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office
A Champs Sports store burns in Tampa on May 31, 2020, following a protest over the death of George Floyd. Terrance Lee Hester Jr., 20, pleaded guilty in Tampa federal court to starting the fire.

Deputies in Broward County are being instructed not to enforce an anti-rioting law signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last week, unless it’s absolutely necessary.

When it is deemed necessary, the decision must run it up the chain of command before taking action.

That's according to an internal memo obtained by the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Col. David R. Holmes, the agency’s executive director of law enforcement, emailed district captains Wednesday to say the anti-rioting law threatened to diminish the sheriff’s office’s attempts to connect with the community.

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