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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) – A Facebook live video shows chaos erupt during a protest in downtown St. Petersburg Saturday night.
Two groups clashed in the streets, and at one point, a man appears to pull out a pistol, frightening the crowd.
“He’s reaching! He’s got a gun!” a man screams in the video.
Tensions have flared in Tampa over the week as BLM and ANTIFA groups harassed and threatened average citizens just trying to enjoy their nights out.
ov. Ron DeSantis on Friday stood just a short walk away from where a viral dust-up between demonstrators and diners on Beach Drive NE happened and said his proposed legislation to harshly punish those who take part in violent protests would have dealt with the situation.
“What we saw here in St. Petersburg the other night with mobs harassing innocent people who were enjoying a meal at a restaurant is simply unacceptable,” DeSantis said at a news conference held at the Birchwood.
Nearby was Parkshore Grill, the scene of Wednesday night’s disagreement between two patrons and protesters that resulted in harsh words and hand gestures. A Tampa Bay Times reporter recorded part of the exchange on video, which has 3.1 million views on Twitter.