Florida Governor Ron DeSantis attended a prayer vigil in Jacksonville on Sunday after an assailant murdered three black people at a Dollar General store in what authorities have said was an act that was racially motivated.
“Councilwoman, I gotcha, don’t worry about it,” DeSantis said to Democrat Councilmember Ju’Coby Pittman. “We’ve already been looking to identify funds to be able to help one, make sure there’s adequate security for Edward Waters College. We are not going to allow these institutions to be targeted by people.”
A lot of people clapped for DeSantis while a small number in the audience booed and protested the governor as he spoke.
Pittman then took the microphone and addressed the agitators head-on.
“Let me tell, we putting parties aside, because it ain’t about parties today,” she said. “A bullet don’t know a party. So, don’t get me started.”
“If the governor wanted to come here, and he bringing gifts to my community, y’all know I’m taking the gifts, because we’ve been through enough already,” she continued. “And I don’t want to go through no more. Now y’all be quiet just a minute and let the governor say what he gonna say.”
DeSantis then took back control of the event, saying that his office has already identified funds from the state of Florida to beef up security in the area and help the families of the victims.
“We are not going to let people be targeted based on their race,” he said. “We are going to stand up and we are going to do what we need to do to make sure that evil does not triumph in the state of Florida.”
DeSantis noted that his administration has worked to protect Jewish schools from anti-Semitic violence and that he will be working equally to provide the same protection to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
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