Things got heated online this week after a viral clash between Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey and pop star Lizzo, all over a fiery statement the sheriff made ahead of the nationwide “No Kings” protests. Ivey’s bold comments during a press conference stirred up a major response—not just from activists, but from one of music’s biggest voices.
Speaking at a news event alongside Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, Sheriff Ivey didn’t hold back when warning violent protesters to steer clear of his deputies.
“If you spit on us, you’re going to the hospital and then jail,” Ivey said. “If you hit one of us, you’re going to the hospital and then jail and most likely get bitten by one of our big, beautiful dogs that we have here.”
He went even further, warning, “Throw a brick, firebomb, or point a gun at one of our deputies, and we will be notifying your family where to collect your remains at. Because we will kill you graveyard. We’re not going to play.”
Those words quickly gained traction online, and that’s when Lizzo jumped in.
In a passionate video posted to Instagram, the Grammy-winning singer expressed her outrage:
“I just watched a video of law enforcement saying they would kill—kill anyone who exercises their First Amendment rights to protest. And I’ve never seen anything more unconstitutional in my life. It was actually appalling.”
Lizzo continued, “We don’t serve a king. We don’t serve a dictator. We fought, and lived, and died for the right to vote for people who will protect and serve us, the people — we the people. And when that gets threatened, when that gets challenged, we just have to get louder. We just have to get prouder. It’s the American thing to do.”
She closed with a message to her fans: “I want to encourage everybody to remember their constitutional rights. I want to encourage everybody to also protect each other. Because the people that we put in position to protect us are not doing that. Know your rights, and stand on ’em.”
Sheriff Ivey, however, wasn’t having it. In a statement to Fox News Digital, he fired back, suggesting Lizzo totally misunderstood—or misrepresented—what he actually said.
“Lizzo who?” he quipped. “Until earlier tonight, I had never heard of her. So what she thinks matters exactly zero to me! She clearly didn’t listen to what was actually said during the press conference, as is evidenced by how inaccurate her quote is.”
Ivey emphasized that his warning wasn’t directed at peaceful protesters:
“At no time were people peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights [ever] threatened, as what was actually said was that peaceful protests are part of our democracy, and we will provide a safe environment for peaceful protest to take place! My warnings were directed at violent protesters whose actions would put citizens and law enforcement officers’ lives at risk!”
Whether you side with the sheriff or the singer, it’s clear this debate has struck a national nerve, igniting strong reactions on both sides of the protest conversation.