On February 22, 2025, amid the lively and raucous kickoff of the Swamp Cabbage Festival in LaBelle, Florida, Emily Juarez was arrested on a series of questionable charges. The charges—unlawful assembly, noise disturbance, resisting an officer without violence, and breach of peace—appear to be a thinly veiled attempt to silence a citizen exercising her right to protest peacefully. But what makes this situation even more disturbing is the context in which it happened.
Selective Policing at a Rowdy Festival
The Swamp Cabbage Festival, one of LaBelle’s biggest annual events, is known for being loud, chaotic, and full of revelry. It kicked off with a parade, where the atmosphere was anything but quiet. Between the blaring music, cheering crowds, and the general noise of festival-goers, it is absurd that a protester could be singled out for “noise disturbance.” If that were a genuine concern, half the attendees should have been arrested.
But they weren’t. Instead, Emily Juarez—a peaceful protester—was the one taken into custody.
Harassment and Double Standards
Eyewitness reports indicate that the protestors, including Juarez, were met with hostility from certain parade attendees. Some of these individuals were reportedly angry, rude, and disruptive, verbally attacking the protestors for exercising their right to assemble. Juarez herself was allegedly shoved by a parade-goer before her arrest, yet it was she—not her aggressor—who ended up in handcuffs.
This glaring double standard raises serious questions about how law enforcement in LaBelle decides who to police. Were those parade-goers who aggressively confronted the protestors questioned or charged for their behavior? Or was law enforcement more interested in punishing those standing up for a cause?
Why This Matters Beyond LaBelle
It would be easy to dismiss this as a small-town incident, but this is precisely the kind of injustice that flies under the radar when no one is paying attention. If authorities in rural areas can selectively enforce laws to suppress speech, criminalize protest, and let real agitators walk free, then it’s only a matter of time before this becomes the norm everywhere.
Across the country, we’ve seen how minor infractions like noise ordinances or resisting arrest without violence are weaponized against activists, while people engaging in actual aggressive behavior face little consequence.
A Call to Action
Emily Juarez’s arrest should not be ignored. This isn’t just about her—it’s about the erosion of free expression, selective policing, and the chilling effect on protestors everywhere
We must demand:
• Immediate transparency from the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office about the circumstances of Juarez’s arrest.
• The dismissal of these questionable charges, which appear aimed at punishing peaceful protest.
• Accountability for those who harassed the protestors, including the person who allegedly shoved Juarez.
• Equal enforcement of the law, ensuring that rowdy festival-goers are not treated differently than activists simply because they align with the status quo.
Emily Juarez was arrested for being loud on one of the loudest days of the year in LaBelle. The hypocrisy is glaring, and we won’t stand for it. If we allow one person’s rights to be trampled, we open the door for all of us to be next.
You can help Emily. The nonprofit Save Our Democracy is raising funds for her legal defense. You can contribute through the links below.