Protesters Gather Outside DeSantis Fundraising Event After Presidential Bid Announcement

Protesters gathered outside a Miami fundraiser event for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Wednesday, May 24, hours after he announced his presidential bid.

Demonstrators’s grievances were diverse, as shown in footage by Thomas Kennedy. Some protesters were critical of the governor’s conservative policies, while others took issue with what they perceived as a betrayal of former president Donald Trump, who is also seeking the Republican nomination.

The fundraiser event was held at a Hilton Hotel. Local media reported DeSantis was not in attendance at the time.

Earlier, DeSantis pledged to lead a “great American comeback” in a video announcing his candidacy. Credit: @tomaskenn via Storyful

Video Transcript

- And if we don't get it--

- Shut it down.

- And if we don't get it--

- Shut it down.

- And if we don't get it.

- Shut it down.

[CHANTING]

- Shut it down!

- And if we don't get it--

- Shut it down.

[CHATTER AND LAUGHTER]

- What do we want?

[CHATTER]

- Yeah!

- Ready? Are we all together?

- Is everybody here?

- Are we all here?

[CHEERS]

- Get out of the street.

[CHATTER]

- I need-- I need you guys to move back.

- [INAUDIBLE]

- That damn white boy Ron is a-- a punk ass sellout. You understand? So you will never ever get away from being a sellout.

- Just keep moving.

- You trying to move too far to the right to try to make Trump unelectable. The only way you ever won is because Trump helped you. And not only did he help you, we came out there and helped your sorry ass. Now you got the nerve to be against Trump, running against him, you sorry, slick, snake-ass cracker.

[CHANTING]

- So, of course, we still got in because that's how we do.

[CHATTER]

- We have something to say about [INAUDIBLE].

[CHATTER]

- Oh, look! Got a little caviar tasting at the De Santis event. Let's see the prices. Wow, so populist.