MIAMI – A man charged with causing damage to multiple police cars during a George Floyd protest in Miami is claiming to be part of a group that purposely encourages violence at demonstrations.
21-year-old Marco Lopez was arrested on Saturday by City of Miami Police after an investigation that lasted several days.
Recommended Videos
Authorities say Lopez confessed to breaking the back window of a Miami police cruiser with his skateboard on the night of Saturday, May 30, during a protest.
He also admitted to damaging the rear bumper of a second police vehicle, and spray painting a third.
According to police, Lopez claimed to belong to a group called the “Southern Slaves,” which he told officers “actively recruits people to violently protest the government.”
Officers were able to identify Lopez by investigating videos of the protests posted on social media and comparing to his own profile photo.
Lopez’s arrest report states that he told interviewing officers, “Walking around the city won’t do anything, sooner or later you have to turn to violence.”