The City of Orlando issued an e-mail on Saturday after a promotion for their fireworks display suggested people may not feel like celebrating Independence Day.
“A lot of people probably don’t want to celebrate our nation right now, and we can’t blame them,” the message stated. “When there is so much division, hate and unrest, why on earth would you want to have a party celebrating any of it?”
The office of Governor Ron DeSantis noticed, and press secretary Christina Pushaw tweeted.
There was backlash from an Orlando Chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, in a statement saying their members “will continue to serve with Courage, Pride and Commitment to uphold their oath to defend our community and this country. We do not share the same views as the City of Orlando and find their comments inflammatory and in poor taste.”
The city issued “regrets.”
California Governor Gavin Newsome is airing an ad targeting DeSantis and Florida beginning today.
“Freedom, it’s under attack in your state,” the governor said in the ad. “Republican leaders, they’re banning books, making it harder to vote, restricting speech in classrooms, even criminalizing women and doctors.”
“I urge all of you living in Florida to join the fight—or join us in California, where we still believe in freedom: Freedom of speech, freedom to choose, freedom from hate, and the freedom to love,” the ad continued.
