In WSLR interview, Sarah Parker also speaks about her expectations for upcoming local demonstrations.
By Johannes Werner
Original Air Date: June 13, 2025
Host: Sarah Parker is the president and one of the organizers behind Voices of Florida, the Sarasota-based political organization that has worked prominently on constitutional petition drives in Florida. She spent the weekend in Los Angeles providing medical help to protesters. Lew Lorrini caught up with her on Tuesday. Parker used the interview with the host of WSLR’s Surreal News to counter the government’s narrative of how the protests came about, and of rioting.
Sarah Parker
SP: I want to go ahead and push back against the narrative that this is not a peaceful protest. There are people, obviously, that are disruptors or agitating, but all in all, 99% of the people I’ve seen and been with on the ground have been completely peaceful. I definitely was there yesterday giving out water and masks, and the National Guard was there. There wasn’t really any contact with the National Guard until probably the end. People are responding to it as I think anyone would. They feel like their state National Guard is being weaponized by this administration, and even Gov. Newsom said that wasn’t necessary; LAPD had it under control or was getting it under control. I think that it’s important to note that. Since I woke up this morning, it’s being said that the Marines are on their way, but we’ve been hearing that for over 24 hours.
National Guard soldiers at the Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles. Still photos via YouTube
We have to remember L.A. is supposed to be a sanctuary city. That’s point A. Point B is that what happened was, a few days ago—I want to say Friday or Thursday—they found out that they were keeping immigrants in the basement of the federal building without any food, without any water, and there was a pregnant woman there. This is from what I’m understanding on the ground. With the pregnant woman, she started to get sick. She was very visibly pregnant, and they had to release her to a hospital. When they did that, the story broke. Then, I think the president of the SEIU—don’t quote me on that—he and a different representative went to the federal building and asked to see the conditions, and they opened the door, and—I’ve heard different things—but at that point in time, they arrested the SEIU leader. That’s what actually sparked it. And we saw what happened at Home Depot, and it’s only become more escalated once they sent in the National Guard. We’re hearing a lot of chants like “National Guard out of L.A.” and “ICE out of L.A.” They obviously do not want them there.
Johannes Werner: The upcoming No Kings protests in Florida are organized by 50501 and backed by a coalition of groups, including Voices of Florida, Indivisible, parts of the Democratic Party, and the ACLU. Parker expects high numbers, in the range of 100,000 people in Florida taking to the streets on Saturday.
Demonstrators hold signs with messages such as “Soy la voz de mis padres” and “ICE GTFO”.
SP: People are upset, and they.re specifically upset that he is utilizing the military for his birthday when people are being separated from their families, people are worried about their Social Security benefits, people are worried about how are they going to pay bills with inflation. People are very upset, and rightfully so. I think massive numbers in Florida, 100%, and massive numbers across the nation. These protests will all be peaceful. We need to make sure we retain the peacefulness across the country and across Florida, because we don’t want to play into their narrative.
JW: The protests will include a march on Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s Palm Beach estate. Sarah Parker, when interviewed Tuesday, did not believe the state government in Florida and law enforcement will crack down on the Saturday protests.
SP: I really don’t believe they’re going to do that June 14. Let’s be honest: the 50501 protests have been incredibly peaceful. If they did that, it would be overreach, it would be antagonizing, and it would be a stupid strategy on his part—Governor DeSantis and President Trump. I really do not believe that it’s going to happen. However, we’re seeing a lot of solidarity. Protests are popping up, and I think that it’s getting pretty intense. The energy is palpable. So I’m interested to see how this plays out over the next few weeks. I really hope, again, that they don’t. They don’t need to. That is how you instigate and you antagonize and you create a non-peaceful protest.
LAPD officers arrest protester in downtown Los Angeles.
JW: Since then, state officials have upped the rhetoric. On Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis justified running over protesters in roadways. On Wednesday, the Florida Attorney General said at a press conference that rioting will be nipped in the bud, and the Brevard County Sheriff at this side stated that his deputies will be using lethal force, telling families to collect “graveyard dead” remains.
When host Lorrini insisted on the possibility of use of force, Parker said this:
SP: If they do, they do. I just don’t think that it matters. Does that make sense? If he does, then he does. We still have to take to the streets. If he doesn’t, that’s great; he didn’t spend our taxpaying money to have the National Guard or military police attend a protest. That’s where I am. I’m not saying he’s not going to. I’m just saying it would be stupid.
JW: If use of force and deploying the military is becoming a pattern, so are the protests, Parker says.
SP: Parker says the protests are going to be a blueprint. We’re seeing it happen in Chicago. They shut down the Chicago immigration court for peaceful protesters, and they’re planning on going out there every single day now to stand outside of the immigration court.
To listen to the full interview, go to archive.wslr.org and look for the latest edition of Surreal News.
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