Locals whisper as military convoy passes, fear conspiracy in Florida

No, armored vehicles aren’t sweeping unsuspecting Floridians to FEMA camps in an act of martial law- but the US Marines are on the ground in one of Florida’s most renowned cities, and not everyone seems all too happy about it.

The US Marines cruised the streets of Tampa during Hurricane Irma’s terrifying run over the Florida peninsula, resulting in mixed reactions by locals.

In response to what is likely a juxtaposition of hurricane devastation and a renowned history of “Florida man” incidents within the Sunshine State, the US Marines dispatched AAV-P7/A1 amphibious assault vehicles (known colloquially as “Amtracks”) to the city of Tampa, resulting in some priceless footage of shock and surprise by the local population.

FIlmed by drivers in Tampa, the Amtracks were escorted by police cars over the weekend, with local residents giving reactions ranging from pure shock to what appeared to be anger.

“What are they coming here for?!” a woman angrily asked her fellow car passengers in a video.

“Holy s***,” one woman said in a video uploaded by Fish Greeze Media.

Originating from the Tampa-based 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion of the US Marine Corps Reserve, the Amtracks aren’t exactly far from home, as both the Headquarters & Signal Company and the Battalion’s Delta Company are based out of the city. According to Fox 13, the units were hauled further inland to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stadium in preparation for the storm.

Many people posed with the vehicles, with the small force gathering crowds who wanted to observe the military hardware in an otherwise civilian setting.

“We had seen these here before, for another hurricane,” one resident said. “For us, it means we’ve got a lot of safety here just in case people need help or get trapped inside their house. I like to see these here.”

The Marines aren’t the only ones who decided to bivvy up at the stadium- first responder teams were hunkering down deep inside the tunnels of the Buccaneers stadium during the storm, as the site served the rescuers both as a staging area and a refuge from Hurricane Irma.

© 2017 Bright Mountain Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

The content of this webpage may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written consent of Bright Mountain Media, Inc. which may be contacted at info@brightmountainmedia.com, ticker BMTM.