Carl Soto, a co-organizer of Black Lives Matter Restoration Polk, said the permitted rally in Munn Park that drew upwards of 500 people ended at 4 p.m. The Memorial Boulevard demonstration that followed was unrelated, according to Soto.
“We are completely disgusted,” he said. “That is not the way to protest. It’s not the way to solve a problem, it just creates more.”
Mercedes Werbinsky, co-organizer of the Lakeland rally, said she first contacted a Lakeland Police Department detective the night before the event to report outside groups threatening to “tear up the city.”
On Sunday, Werbinsky said she saw two white men arrive at the rally — one wearing a confederate flag hoodie and face mask — who began antagonizing the gathered crowd. The event co-organizer said she learned the men were from Orlando and reported them immediately to police.
“Lakeland police department was aware of what was happening and chose to ignore it,” she said. “It shows exactly what is wrong with our justice system.”
Werbinsky said she offered to immediately share photos of the alleged antagonists with police.
Robin Tillett, police spokesperson, said the department was carefully monitoring the rally from start to finish. The police will not shut down a peaceful demonstration due to a potential threat, according to Tillett.
“It would be absolutely not true that we would purposefully want something to escalate,” she said. “It’s our people who are responding. Our No. 1 priority is protecting the citizens and our teams here at the police department.”
Soto said he attempted as the original rally’s organizer to put a stop to the road blockage, but had underestimated the size of the crowd.
One woman was struck by a vehicle, according to Werbinsky, but she could not confirm the severity of her injuries. That car was immediately engulfed by protesters who destroyed the front windshield and kicked in the back window before the driver was able to speed off through the large crowd.
“That’s when things started getting a little wilder,” she said.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office declared a state of emergency and enacted a 10 p.m. curfew, effective until 5 a.m. Monday. That curfew was extended again from 8 p.m. Monday until 5 a.m. Tuesday. The extension was announced Monday afternoon in a PCSO news release.
Commissioner Walker said he plans to call for a community forum to discuss racial issues in Lakeland and start a conversation between residents and the police department.
Mayor Mutz said he will support the measure. He believes the city’s police officers handled Sunday’s events well.
“We have one instance in the Minneapolis scenario that is horrific and uncalled for,” he said. “We need to work together as a city and a nation to correct that.”