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'Those folks need to be held accountable' Gov. DeSantis denounces U.S. Capitol rioters

By FOX 35 News Staff
Updated  January 7, 2021 1:18pm EST
U.S.
FOX 35 Orlando

‘Those folks need to be held accountable’ Gov. Ron DeSantis denounces U.S. Capitol rioters

Gov. Ron DeSantis weighed in on the violent rioters at the U.S. Capitol.

BRADENTON, Fla. - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spoke out about the violent rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday in protest of the 2020 election results. 

"What you saw yesterday was a good example of taking a rally and having certain views, and then going in to storm the Capitol... it was totally unacceptable," DeSantis said. "And those folks need to be held accountable."

RELATED: Florida's DeSantis moves to allow citizens to shoot looters, rioters targeting businesses

DeSantis made the statements at the beginning of a press conference in Bradenton regarding COVID-19 vaccination distribution in Florida. 

In September, DeSantis was the first governor in the country to propose legislation to deal with the violent outbreaks in the United States. 

RELATED: Central Florida man among those arrested during riots at U.S. Capitol

"It doesn't matter what banner you're flying under: the violence is wrong. The rioting and disorder is wrong. We aren't going to tolerate it in Florida." 

DeSantis has drafted "anti-mob" legislation that would expand the state’s Stand Your Ground law – a move that some worry would allow armed citizens to shoot and potentially kill anyone they suspect of looting.

The legislation came in response to months of protesting that frequently lead to rioting this summer in Florida and across the U.S., following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

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