Free Speech

C.J. Ciaramella | 1.20.2026 4:03 PM

A police visit to a Miami Beach resident over a Facebook comment criticizing the mayor has turned into a national news story and led to condemnation from First Amendment groups.

Viral video taken by Raquel Pacheco shows two Miami Beach Police Department detectives visiting her home on January 12 to question her about a Facebook comment saying that Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner "consistently calls for the death of all Palestinians."

The Miami Beach mayor's office is now flagging citizen's Facebook posts and sending police to their doors to intimidate them for criticism of the mayor.

This video is absolutely outrageous. pic.twitter.com/L8mEr6hPe2

— Mel (@Villgecrazylady) January 19, 2026

The detectives asked if she posted the comment, which appeared under a Facebook post by Meiner, who is Jewish, claiming that Miami Beach is a "safe haven for everyone." The detectives warned that the comment could potentially "incite somebody to do something radical."

"This is freedom of speech, this is America, right? I'm a veteran," Pacheco told the officers.

"And I agree with you 100 percent," one officer responded. "We're just trying to see if it's you, because if we're not talking to the right person, we want to go see who the right person is."

"We're just trying to prevent someone else from getting agitated or agreeing........

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