Photo: AFP
There have been protests in our area all week, with people demonstrating to support the residents of Cuba.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office has been handling law enforcement during a big one that's been going on at Forest Hill Boulevard and Military Trail.
Sheriff Ric Bradshaw says things have been peaceful.
"We're going to treat this just exactly like we did with the BLM marches. We're going to stay consistent and we're not going to let the roadways get shut down."
But that's exactly what happened earlier this week, during a protest at I-95 and Okeechobee Boulevard.
"That's FHP and from what I understand that was their direction...if they wanted to get in the roadway then they were going to be allowed to do that as long as FHP provided a safe environment for them."
He says that was a call made between the Florida Highway Patrol and the West Palm Beach Police Department.
"If I would have been in control of Okeechobee and 95, 95's not getting shut down."
But Bradshaw says he's not going to second guess the other law enforcement agencies.
The sheriff says his deputies have been complimented for how respectful they've been to the protesters.
"When we meet with the leader of the group there, we explain what the rules of the road are, that we're going to help them. We support their mission and we just want to make sure that they're safe."
He says it benefits protesters to stay out of the road, not only for safety reasons...
"If you really put this in your mind correctly, if they were on the roadside they're going to get more exposure anyhow with all the cars driving by honking for support and all that."
Sheriff Bradshaw says there have been no arrests related to protests by his deputies.