ATLANTA — A peaceful protest in downtown Atlanta erupted into violence Friday night. Crowds of protestors vandalized the CNN building, burned cars on Marietta Street and threw items, including knives at police officers.
The incident is still continuing and the police have reportedly used tear gas in an effort to disperse the crowd.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms addressed the protesters in an emotionally-charged press conference where she urged them multiple times to “go home.
“If you love this city — this city that has had a legacy of black mayors and black police chiefs and people who care about this city where more than 50% of the business owners are minority business owners — if you care about this city, then go home,” Bottoms said.
Bottoms called out protesters in harsh terms, calling their actions disgraceful. “If you want change in America, go and register to vote. Show up at the polls on June 9. Do it in November. That is the change we need in this country. You are disgracing our city you are disgracing the life of George Floyd and every other person who has been killed in this country. We are better than this,” she said.
What Georgians Are Saying:
