Jewish Rep. Fine touts antisemitism laws after ‘neo-Nazis’ reported outside Disney
ORLANDO, Fla. – Rep. Randy Fine, R-Melbourne Beach, who co-sponsored the state’s latest antisemitism bill in May, reacted after reports surfaced of “neo-Nazis” and white supremacist groups in Orlando.
The Jewish lawmaker said “people have a 1A amendment to say dumb stuff” but if that “crosses the line into conduct, we have the most robust antisemitism laws in the nation.”
It was previously reported a group was spreading “antisemitic, white supremacist and anti-LGBTQ messages” in front of Walt Disney World.
In May, DeSantis signed a bill in Israel that would increase penalties for intimidating or threatening someone based on religious or ethnic heritage.
“Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the harshest bill in America to hold these Nazis accountable when they cross the line from speech to conduct, so anyone who thinks he, I, or any of my @FLGOPMajority colleagues welcome these idiots are almost as dumb as they are,” Fine said at the time.
“Everyone needs to keep in mind that people have a 1A amendment to say dumb stuff, but in Florida, if that crosses the line into conduct, we have the most robust antisemitism laws in the nation. I know; I sponsored them,” the lawmaker said.
Another group gathered in Altamonte Springs at Cranes Roost Park with matching shirts and flags, as seen in a video posted by Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, Saturday.
The Anti-Defamation League released a statement that said they are “deeply outraged” by the two “extremist demonstrations” in the Orlando area.
The league called on public officials at the federal, state, and local levels to “stand up and clearly denounce this hateful activity.”
“We cannot allow for hate and extremist beliefs to become normalized in our society,” the group said.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office told NBC that the groups are looking for “media attention.”
“We know these groups demonstrate in high profile areas in order to agitate and incite people with antisemitic symbols and slurs,” the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said.
The sheriff’s office said what these groups do is “revolting and condemned in the strongest way by Sheriff [John] Mina and the Sheriff’s Office.”
Sen. Shevron Jones, D-Miami Gardens, said that “In @RonDeSantis‘ Florida, this is the outcome of his “WOKE” rhetoric.”
“It is imperative for every elected official, including Democrats and Republicans, to denounce this, even if the Governor won’t,” Jones said on X.
Fine responded to Jone’s statement, saying that “weaponizing this makes you worse than them.”
“They are powerless idiots,” he said. “You aren’t and should know better.”
“Neither party has an antisemitism monopoly — yours celebrates them in Congress. These Nazis hate me and @GovRonDeSantis for new laws that hold them accountable,” Fine said.
The new law includes the following:
- Prohibiting a person from intentionally dumping litter onto private property for the purpose of intimidating or threatening the owner, resident, or invitee of such property
- Prohibiting a person from willfully and maliciously harassing, threatening, or intimidating another person based on the person’s wearing or displaying of any indicia relating to any religious or ethnic heritage
- Creating a new prohibition against displaying or projecting, using any medium, an image onto a building, structure, or other property without the written consent of the owner of the building, structure, or property
- Creating a new trespass offense if a person who is not authorized, licensed, or invited willfully enters the campus of a state college or university for the purpose of threatening or intimidating another person, and is warned by the institution to depart and refuses to do so
- Prohibiting a person from willfully and maliciously interrupting or disturbing any assembly of people met for the purpose of acknowledging the death of an individual.
