‘Southern Slaves’ member charged with vandalizing Miami cruisers during protests, cops say
Authorities say they have arrested a man who identified himself as a member of “Southern Slaves” — a group that “actively recruits people to violently protest the government” — for damaging and vandalizing multiple patrol cars during a protest against police brutality last month in Miami.
Marco Antonio Lopez, 21, of Miami was arrested Saturday for the May 30 incident and has been charged with two counts of criminal mischief, inciting a riot and resisting an officer without violence, Miami police said.
His arrest appears to mark the first criminal case built against so-called “agitators” who police say turned peaceful protests into clashes with officers in Miami. Last month, Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina told the Miami Herald the department would be pursuing people who defaced police cars, vandalized walls and highways or were throwing objects during the protests that began on May 30.
“Ultimately they will be charged after the fact,” Colina said. “Just because you got away with it tonight doesn’t mean we won’t come for you.”
Police said Lopez described “Southern Slaves” as a group that is against police brutality, but advocates riots and violence. He allegedly told police that “walking around the city won’t do anything, sooner or later you have to turn to violence,” according to an arrest report. He remained jailed on Sunday morning. It was unclear if he had retained an attorney yet.
The large march in Downtown Miami on May 30 was staged to protest law-enforcement tactics and the death of George Floyd, the Minneapolis man who died after a cop knelt on his neck. The officer, Derek Chauvin, has since been charged with murder and manslaughter; three other cops have also been charged criminally.
The death has spurred a wave of unprecedented protests across the nation that continued Saturday in South Florida. Over 100 arrests have happened during the past week in Miami-Dade, most for minor curfew violations and unlawful assembly; at least four people were arrested Saturday stemming from a protest at Florida International University.
Miami police announced Lopez’s arrest early Sunday.
Detectives said Lopez was wanted for breaking into and damaging two Miami police cruisers with his skateboard — one at South Miami Avenue and Eighth Street, and one along Northwest third Avenue and Fourth Street, near the rear gate of the Miami police headquarters.
He was also wanted for spray painting “Southern Slaves” on a third cruiser at the corner of Northwest Third Court and Fourth street.
One of the incidents was witnessed by an off-duty Miami officer who was assisting a construction company with traffic control, according to an arrest report. The officer later identified Lopez as the man he saw smashing the rear window of his marked cruiser with his skateboard when a large crowd of protesters marched along Eighth Street.
The officer says he confronted Lopez and was told “What you going to do” before Lopez ran off into the crowd.
Surveillance camera later recorded Lopez using his skateboard to smash the front driver side window of a marked cruiser after protesters arrived to the Miami police station, the report said. During the investigation, officers later learned that the incident was also recorded and posted on a public Instagram page.
Lopez was identified through a photographic lineup and was taken into custody without incident. He confessed to all three incidents, the report said.
Miami Herald staff writer David Ovalle contributed to this report.
This story was originally published June 7, 2020 at 11:54 AM.
