Ron DeSantis told drivers in Florida who are confronted by angry mobs of liberal protesters that ‘you have a right to defend yourself in Florida.’ 

Prior to the large-scale anti-Trump protests scheduled for this weekend, and in the aftermath of the anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles, the governor was straightforward about how motorists in the Sunshine State should respond to such demonstrations.

‘If you’re driving on a street and a mob surrounds and threatens your vehicle, you have the right to flee for your safety. If you drive away and accidentally hit one of the individuals, it’s their responsibility for obstructing you,’ he stated to Dave Rubin.

‘You don’t have to sit there and just be a sitting duck and let the mob grab you out of your car and drag you through the streets,’ DeSantis added. 

The former candidate for president explained how he differs on protests from liberals like Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass. 

‘You do not have the right to take control of streets,’ DeSantis remarked. ‘Firstly, it’s simply wrong; secondly, it significantly affects people’s quality of life.’

‘We have an absolutely zero tolerance policy for that,’ he added.

The comments come as ‘No Kings’ protests are set to take place all across the country on Saturday, to coincide with the military parade marking the Army’s 250th anniversary – also happening on Trump’s 79th birthday. 

Ron DeSantis told drivers in Florida who are confronted by angry mobs of liberal protesters that ‘you have a right to defend yourself in Florida’

Ahead of widespread anti-Trump protests planned this weekend and following the anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles , the governor was blunt about how Sunshine State motorists should deal with the demonstrations

‘No Kings’ organizers have told potential demonstrators to actually stay away from Washington, D.C., which already has a heavy security presence thanks to the parade. 

Fencing was erected around the White House, the Capitol Building and parts of the National Mall ahead of Saturday’s event.

Instead a major ‘No Kings’ demonstration is set to take place in Philadelphia – and D.C. locals are being steered to suburban Virginia and Maryland. 

The ‘No Kings’ protests come on the heels of anti-ICE demonstrations taking place all over the country pushing back on the president’s ‘mass deportation’ plans. 

The epicenter of the demonstrations was in Los Angeles this week – setting up a major confrontation between Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat. 

Trump federalized California National Guard members against Newsom’s wishes and deployed active duty Marines to the LA area. 

Military parades have also historically been avoided, as they give off an authoritarian air akin to places like Russia and North Korea. 

But after seeing a Bastille Day – and World War I commemoration parade – in Paris in July of 2017, the president became fixated on having his own in the United States. 

‘If you’re driving on one of those streets and a mob comes and surrounds your vehicle and threatens you, you have a right to flee for your safety, and so if you drive off and you hit one of these people, that’s their fault for impinging on you,’ DeSantis said

People are arrested by policemen as they do not leave the Los Angeles downtown area in time when the curfew is effective

Plans got nixed during his first term due to cost concerns – as the massive tanks were expected to damage Washington, D.C.’s roads.

Saturday’s parade for the Army kicks off more than a year’s worth of celebrations marking the country’s semicentennial – as July 4, 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

For years, Trump has talked about what all he would do to mark the occasion.  

While Trump distanced himself from being called a ‘king’ on Thursday, he’s used royal imagery to troll critics in the recent past.

In February, he posted an AI image of himself dressed as a monarch after officials from his administration moved to halt New York City’s traffic congestion pricing system. 

‘Congestion pricing is dead. Manhattan, and all of New York, is saved. Long Live The King!’ the post said. 

An official White House social media account also posted a fake Time magazine cover that replaced ‘Time’ for ‘Trump’ and showed the president grinning and wearing a crown.