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Black Lives Matter demonstrators march through downtown Fort Myers

Posted at 3:43 PM, Apr 18, 2021
and last updated 2021-04-18 15:43:21-04

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Demonstrators gathered in downtown Fort Myers Saturday to protest police brutality in America. This is the first time protestors are marching after Florida's House and Senate passed a bill crack-down on protestors and rioters.

The group came together after Minnesota police officer, Kim Potter, was charged with manslaughter for shooting 20-year-old Daunte Wright. She says the shooting was an accident as she mistook her gun for her stun gun.

"You know it's just happening constantly and white people it seems like are getting away with all kinds of stuff and I’m seeing black and brown people getting shot all over the country," says Terry Shuck.

Florida is officially on the brink of a new law that has been dubbed the anti-riot bill. The legislation would clamp down on protestors who are a part of a violent or disorderly assembly and potentially put those who are involved behind bars.

Those who oppose the bill fear that this is an attack on the first amendment right to freedom of speech while others believe it will simply punish rioters.

Javier Teuntor, the organizer of Saturday's peaceful march says he does not fear the new bill.

"Look, it's my right to speak out. Its freedom of speech. I get it. They don’t want to have cop cars burning down the streets, I get that. But that’s not going to stop us, or at least me from speaking out," says Teuntor.

The bill is now on its way to Governor Ron DeSantis' office. He will need to sign the bill before it becomes law.