Tallahassee City Commissioners Jeremy Matlow and Jack Porter recently commented on social media about the altercation between an ICE official and a protester who interfered with a law enforcement action, calling the incident murder and unprovoked.
Both posts generated significant push back in the comment sections of the posts.
No other local officials have commented on the incident.
Porter’s Post
On January 8th, Commissioner Jack Porter posted on her social media accounts calling the altercation “unprovoked.”
Porter posted, “RIP Renee Good. I am at a loss for words. The unprovoked shooting of an unarmed legal observer by the federal government is reprehensible and terrifying, as well as a clear attempt to silence dissent and terrorize communities for exercising their constitutional right to protest. ICE does not make us safe. Accountability is essential to safety, not a threat to it. Tallahassee’s own collaboration with ICE must end. My heart goes out to Renee Good’s family and loved ones and I stand in solidarity with the Twin Cities.”
While there is debate about the outcome of the incident, facts indicate that the protester blocked traffic, disobeyed a command from federal officer, and attempted to drive away with an officer positioned in the path of the car.
One commenter stated:
“Unprovoked? Are you out of your mind? Or are you just lying for political purposes? She was stalking, harassing, obstructing, and provoking federal agents performing lawful operations, culminating in her launching her car at one of the agents for no reason whatsoever. There was no reason at all for her to have been there in the first place, and SHE is directly responsible for the escalation that led to her death. All she had to do was not launch her car at the agent and she’d be alive today. That’s all. That’s a pretty low bar. Rhetoric like yours is what inspires people to engage in actions like this in the first place and you are going to get more people killed.”
Another commenter supported Porter’s post:
“Thank you Commissioner Jack Porter, for all you have done, what you stand for and for your solidarity, the People appreciate you”
Matlow’s Post
On January 11th, city commissioner and mayoral candidate Jeremy posted on his campaign social media account, “The murder we saw in Minneapolis should be a wake up call for all of us.”
Matlow’s assessment generated significant pushback.
One post stated, “So you have all the facts? That’s your problem, and others, rush to judgment. Judge, jury and executioner all in one. To say she was ‘executed’ is just another inflammatory remark to rile your leftist base. I’ll wait til the dust settles before putting myself in anybody’s shoes.”
Another wrote, “You are right they do not have the right to execute Citizens. And Citizens can protest But they don’t have the right to interfere with the federal Agents And they don’t have the right to flee from them when they are told to get out of the vehicle. Protesting is 1 thing Interfering is another.”
Others supported Matlow’s comment.
One commenter wrote, ” No he is right. She was murdered.”