A press convention held by Florida's Ron DeSantis was held up on Tuesday as a group activist confronted the governor's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Miami information station WPLG first reported that Ben Frazier, president of the Jacksonville Northside Coalition, arrived forward of DeSantis at his scheduled media look on the Florida Division of Well being in Duval.

"Your governor, by the best way, all through this pandemic has been asleep on the wheel," Frazier stated to an obvious staffer for the governor. "And in current weeks, through the upsurge of the variant, this governor has been mysteriously lacking in motion."

"It is time for him to handle the individuals," Frazier added. "Go and get him."

After a number of minutes, throughout which Frazier known as DeSantis the "enemy of the individuals" and accused him of being "afraid to fulfill with individuals," police entered the realm and handcuffed him.

Desantis Briefing Stalled By Community Activist
A press convention being held by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was stalled Tuesday as a group activist was led away from the occasion in handcuffs. On this picture, DeSantis speaks to the media in regards to the cruise trade throughout a press convention at PortMiami on April 08, 2021, in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle/Getty Pictures

Christina Pushaw, a spokeswoman for DeSantis, instructed Newsweek in an electronic mail that it was their understanding that Frazier was arrested by Jacksonville police for trespassing. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Workplace instructed Newsweek that Frazier was issued a Discover to Seem and launched in lieu of a bodily arrest.

"The press convention is for credentialed media to cowl data from the governor's workplace and state leaders that's vital for the general public to listen to. Mr. Frazier is an activist, not a member of the press," Pushaw stated. "Each citizen has the proper to protest in public locations—however to not trespass in a secured facility with a view to disrupt a press briefing and stop data from being conveyed to the general public."

DeSantis was criticized by his opponents for not showing in public as coronavirus instances reached record-highs within the state. A banner studying "Florida is on fireplace and Ron is lacking" made its means throughout the skies over Miami and South Seaside final week earlier than the governor stepped out along with his spouse on New Yr's Eve.

On Monday, the governor held his first press convention since mid-December to debate monoclonal antibodies and testing as Florida experiences shortages of each amid the Omicron surge.

"As some extent of truth, Governor DeSantis meets with the general public continuously. On New Yr's Eve, he and his spouse attended two public occasions, and yesterday, the governor had a press convention on COVID-19 therapy in Broward County," Pushaw instructed Newsweek. "Members of the press in Florida have alternatives to ask questions of the governor at his press conferences, which occur in numerous components of the state on a near-daily foundation."

A number of counties in Florida have seen virus instances soar 500 % or extra over the previous two weeks. DeSantis on Monday acknowledged a "crunch" on the variety of checks accessible for residents, and his administration outlined new steering for many who ought to get screened.

"It is actually time for individuals to be dwelling, to make the selections they need concerning vaccination, to get pleasure from the truth that many individuals have pure immunity and to unwind this preoccupation with solely COVID as figuring out the boundaries and constraints and prospects of life," stated Florida Surgeon Common Dr. Joseph Ladapo.

Newsweek reached out to the Jacksonville Northside Coalition for remark.

Replace 01/04/22, 1:50 p.m. ET: This story was up to date with extra data and background.