'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
A woman was arrested in Bonita Springs, Florida on Wednesday, August 16 after she interfered with a panhandler incident. As per the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the woman, identified as Annika Olson was driving along the Bonita Beach Road and Imperial Parkway.
Olson stopped her car abruptly in the driving lane when she saw a deputy officer speaking to a woman who was selling flowers. Annika tried to hand some money to the flower vendor when the officer asked her to move along. But she refused to comply with the deputy’s order to park her car off the road, leading to the officers putting her in handcuffs.
The other woman, Norma Garcia, was selling flowers on Imperial Parkway’s median, which violated Lee County’s Ordinance 28-123, which prohibits vendors from executing their business on driveways. Officers said that they warned Norma that selling merchandise on the roadway was not legally allowed.
A short clip from the incident in Bonita Springs was uploaded on Reddit by u/Skye_hai_bai where the user wrote that Annika was arrested for giving $20 to the lady selling flowers. Some people in the comments were furious at the police for arresting the woman for helping a vendor. One user mockingly wrote that someone on CTA duty must have been annoyed and bored.
Netizens express outrage at Annika Olson's arrest in Bonita Springs
People on Reddit criticized the cops for directly arresting Annika Olson just because she tried to help a flower vendor. Several users implied that the police serve the government and not the common people. They asked how and why helping those in need is illegal.
Both Annika Olson and Norma Garcia were charged in Bonita Springs
It was learned from an investigation that Norma is from Nicaragua, a country located in Central America, and that she only speaks Spanish. A translator was appointed to help the police handle the incident.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said that Annika Olson’s interference caused a safety hazard for other drivers and motorists in the driveway in Bonita Springs. Annika Olson later spoke with ABC7 and said:
“I saw there were police [deputies] near her, but I did not understand that she was being arrested. I never intended on anything to happen. I just wanted to give someone 20 bucks because they were having a bad day.”
She continued that she was unaware that panhandling was illegal, as people do it quite frequently. Annika added that she can understand the safety issues of the panhandlers, but she reasoned that if someone put themselves in such a situation during this summer heat, they must have been doing it out of dire necessity.
Annika Olson was arrested for refusing to follow the lawful orders of the police and for resisting her arrest without violence. Norma Garcia has also been charged with interference with the public rights of way.
