Community Activists Call for Action Over Alleged Unlawful Arrest in Hillsborough County

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) is facing backlash from community activists after the release of a one-hour body camera video showing the arrest of Pastor Carl Soto, Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter Restoration, Inc. The incident began with a traffic stop on August 29, where Soto was pulled over for having a Florida joker tag on his car, which the deputy claimed violated Florida statute.

In the video, Soto can be seen questioning the deputy about the reason for the stop and refusing to comply with his instructions. The situation escalates when the deputy pulls out a taser and eventually arrests Soto for resisting an officer without violence. Soto, who recently had surgery, can be heard expressing concern for his well-being during the arrest.

Community activists are calling for Soto’s charges to be dropped and for action to be taken against the deputy involved. Soto explained during a press conference that he did not feel safe handing over his license to the aggressive deputy and wanted a higher-up to deescalate the situation.

The Sheriff’s Office maintains that the traffic stop was lawful and could have been resolved with a warning or a civil traffic ticket. They stated that Soto’s refusal to comply with the deputy’s instructions led to his arrest, and a supervisor reviewed the footage and found no policy violations.

The full, unedited body camera video of the incident is available on the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office YouTube page for those interested in viewing it. The controversy surrounding Soto’s arrest continues to spark debate and calls for accountability within the community.