A group of Florida residents attempted to “hold governor Ron DeSantis accountable” during a news conference Tuesday morning—a move that resulted in one man being hauled away in handcuffs. 

CBS 4 Miami reported the ordeal began when Ben Frazier, a well-known community organizer, refused to leave the room at the Florida Department of Health-Duval County, citing his First Amendment rights. 

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“What’s the proper way, sir, not to follow our First Amendment rights? Public expression, sir, it’s critical to our democracy,” Frazier said to an organizer, per CBS 4. “This governor has stood against our rights to protest and to assemble peaceably. It is wrong.” 

Frazier went on to call both DeSantis and the organizer who asked him to exit “an enemy of the people.”  

“You are you’re attempting to stop us from gathering peaceably in a public building. That, sir, is appalling and absurd,” he said. “This is a public meeting. This is a public official. This is a public building. We have a right to be here and we are not moving.” 

DeSantis has been “mysteriously missing in action” during the upsurge of the omicron variation in Florida, according to Frazier, who also claims the governor doesn’t care about the people he was elected to represent. 

The organizer left, during which time the facilities manager and eventually a representative from the governor’s office came in to try and persuade the group to leave. Frazier was detained after much pushback, but released on his recognizance. 

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In a statement, State Senator Shevrin Jones hailed Frazier as a pillar in the community who is committed to making progress on issues that affect people’s daily lives. He also didn’t hold back as he called out the governor, including via social media. 

“Today’s arrest was a troubling violation of his rights and yet another attack on Floridians’ freedoms from Gov. DeSantis and his team, supposed ‘public servants’ whose salaries are funded directly by taxpayers,” Jones said in defense of Frazier, per CBS 4.  

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In both the statement and via Twitter, Jones said DeSantis has a responsibility to every Floridian—not just those who support his political ambitions. He noted neither Frazier nor a member of his crew posed a threat to the governor or his people.