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Orange County Mayor Demings asks protesters to ‘get involved’
Orange County Sheriff John Mina is encouraging people at the Windermere home of a former Minneapolis officer charged in the death of George Floyd to protest peacefully. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, the former county sheriff, is asking people to get involved by reporting misbehavior of law enforcement and consider joining agencies.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Orange County Sheriff John Mina and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings are keeping a close eye on protests going on outside of a Windermere home in Orange County.
“I understand the passion. As a father of three sons, as a nearly 40-year law enforcement, as an African-American, I understand the passion that many people have with the issues related to the police use of force,” Mayor Demings said.
Demings said he has watched the video showing Derek Chauvin with his knee on George Floyd’s neck during his arrest Monday night, Floyd screaming in pain for help saying he couldn’t breathe.
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“I’m not surprised by the arrest [of Chauvin], based on what I’ve seen in the video," he added.
Sheriff John Mina said he saw it coming too.
“To actually see that person in a proned out position, handcuffed with a knee on top of their neck is very disturbing,” Sheriff Mina told reporters.
Mina is paying close attention to a home near Windermere in unincorporated Orange County, described as a vacation home owned by Chauvin and his wife.
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“We went out there to kind of monitor the situation. We did end up making contact with the family of the former police officer and learned that they are not there at the home, nor do they have any intentions of coming to that home,” Sheriff Mina said.
He said he’s not sure if the couple spent time at the Orange County home earlier this week. He understands why people are protesting outside of that home.
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“We just ask just like dozens of times before in this community people protest peacefully,” Sheriff Mina said.
Mayor Demings is encouraging protesters to go a step further, by making changes.
“I would encourage any young man or woman who wants to serve the community and change the face in law to do so by changing it from within as opposed to standing outside and being part of the audience just watching what is happening,” Mayor Demings said.