Sheriff Declares Emergency For Clewiston Area Wednesday

CLEWISTON, FL. -- Hendry County Sheriff Steve Whidden announced today that he is declaring a State of Emergency for the Eastern portion of Hendry County effective Wednesday June 3, 2020 from 8:00 pm until 5:00 am on June 4, 2020.

UPDATE: The curfew is only for the unincorporated areas of Eastern Hendry county and does not cover the City of Clewiston. The city will not enforce the curfew. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday city law enforcement was blocking the entrances to the closed Walmart store in Clewiston while a few businesses in Clewiston had put up storm shutters on windows.

Whidden said, "This decision is based on social media announcements that Black Lives Matter is attempting to organize a protest at the Walmart located in the City of Clewiston. Additional comments on those announcements and other social media pages are inciting criminal behavior and threatening to loot, damage and burn private property, i.e. Walmart."

Whidden said the protesters are said to be at Walmart a 6 p.m. and Walmart is closing it's doors at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

"Citizens are instructed to remain at home during this time and movement is restricted to that for essential services/purposes only. Travel to and from work is included as essential business," said the Sheriff's Department.

"While Sheriff Whidden has sworn to uphold the United States Constitution and the State of Florida Constitution, that includes the protection of life and property along with right of assembly and free speech," said a press release this afternoon.

Sheriff Whidden stated, “What happened to Mr. George Floyd was uncalled for and the people responsible should pay for their despicable acts and I’m confident they will. However, it is a sad day when I am forced to take this drastic action to protect our citizens from the anarchy and lawlessness of a fringe population that wants to incite our neighbors to commit crimes and harm the people in their own communities.

"I will take whatever measures I feel are necessary and I encourage the citizens of Hendry County to be prepared to defend their property and families, should that need arise. I will always protect the right of the people to peaceably protest but when crimes occur, it is my duty to respond.”