Atlanta police barricade downtown 'jungle'

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Atlanta police barricade downtown 'jungle'
They want to bring civility to Barbara Asher Square

By ERIC STIRGUS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/06/08

To many Atlantans and tourists, Barbara Asher Square is a slice of city life that is not appealing. There's panhandling. Drug dealing. Marijuana smoking. Profanity. Fighting.

On Wednesday, Atlanta police began what they say will be an "indefinite" crackdown at the square, located near the Five Points MARTA station.

Ben Gray/AJC

Atlanta Police Officers C. Lock (left) and J. Minnoch set up barricades around all of the planter benches in Barbara M. Asher Square on Wednesday.

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Officers posted metal fence-like barricades around the dozen concrete tree planters where some like to sit and hang out throughout the day. Police also say officers will patrol the area more frequently.

"A normal person can walk through and get a negative impression of the city of Atlanta," said Lt. Wayne Whitmire, assistant zone commander for the area.

Said Kwanza Hall, the City Council member who represents the area, "This is our front doorstep to the world, and it should not look and feel like crap."

Some who frequent the square disagreed with the changes.

"We can't sit down now," complained B.K. Gray, 18, who often meets friends there and was selling Newport cigarettes Wednesday afternoon. "What are we supposed to do? Sit on the floor?"

The square, which takes up a city block, predates its name. It was officially declared Barbara M. Asher Square in 1998, three years after her death. Asher, an Atlanta councilwoman for 18 years, had been a driving force for downtown revitalization.

City officials said they have received constant complaints about the square in recent years.

Eureka White, an employee at the DOTS clothing store in the square, said she had to roust a man selling drugs outside the business Wednesday.

"[The troublemakers] deter the tourists from coming through here," said White, who wore a finger-size container of Mace around her neck.

Fellow DOTS worker Alison Ransom said employees often use the back entrance to avoid harassment. She calls the square, "the jungle."

Wednesday morning, as the crackdown began, the square's regulars watched silently as officers put the barricades around the trees. Police then patrolled in cars and on motorcycles.

Bruce Kelly, 53, who planned to feed pigeons in the square, was stunned to see the barricades.

"It's [messed] up," he said of the barricades. Police, he said, should have just patrolled "and not put them up."

By afternoon, some of the regulars showed their resourcefulness. One man slept on the hot pavement. Another sat atop one of the barricades.

Whitmire was confident the barricade-sitting would not last long.

"Those barricades do not sit very well," he said.

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Comments

By Anita

Aug 10, 2008 8:36 AM | Link to this

Barbara Asher Square has the potential of being a great artery for tourist as well for those people who work in the area. There are thousands of government, corporate workers and others in the area who would support the businesses in the Barbara Asher Park but refuse to due to the safety issue in the area. The police is right to stop the loitering and panhandling that goes on in the area. It makes a terible impression for tourists but also for those of us who live and work in Atlanta. Do we as law abiding citizens have rights? Keep up the good work Atlanta Police. Five Point is our Grand Central Station but it sure doesn't look like it now.

By Steve

Aug 8, 2008 1:57 AM | Link to this

Kwanza Hall is right in calling Five Points the "front doorstep" - maybe not to the world, but for world visitors to Atlanta. Five Points is the first place a lot of tourists get to when they emerge from the train. Do we really want them to feel like they're in a third-world country? "Welcome to Atlanta, now gimme fiddy sint"? Five Points is the epitome of urban blight, the finest example of why decent, law-abiding people generally do not go downtown unless they absolutely have to. In my opinion the entire downtown area is in need of a serious hose-down. Even Broad Street is still bad. I can't go to lunch there without some delusional F-tard telling me "yo, I need some money, five or seven bucks should be fine." Then when you don't give it to them, they either follow you into the restaurant or stare at you and make faces through the window. WTF???? Bringing back the anti-panhandling ordinance would be a great start. Legalizing stun-guns would be another. If all else fails though, bring on the flood!

By Big Papi

Aug 7, 2008 8:17 PM | Link to this

ITS ABOUT TIME ! They need to tear all the planters out and get rid of the sleazy vendors too. This area should reclaimed for decent,working citizens. Next move on to Woodruff park.

By Big Papi

Aug 7, 2008 8:17 PM | Link to this

ITS ABOUT TIME ! They need to tear all the panters out and get rid of the sleazy vendors too. This area should reclaimed for decent,working citizens. Next move on to Woodruff park.

By James

Aug 7, 2008 8:09 PM | Link to this

Add more service agencies? Are you kidding? My City of Atlanta taxes are HIGH ENOUGH without having to shell out more for the lazy a$$ ni99ers that hang out in those parks and suck up social services already!

By Corey

Aug 7, 2008 3:47 PM | Link to this

Derrick, what services did the city provide to you so that you are not down there. I'm waiting. I thought so. Self intiative is a great start. Wouldn't you agree?

By Shellie

Aug 7, 2008 3:28 PM | Link to this

It is about time!! Its true, the majority of the people in the square are thugs & bums that are always asking for some type of handout. Whenever one would approarch me, I would tell them "I was just about to ask you for some change, can you help a sister out?" TRUST me, that line will move them away quickly. :)

By Shellie

Aug 7, 2008 3:27 PM | Link to this

By walkergirl

Aug 7, 2008 3:15 PM | Link to this

I am so glad to hear that the police is doing something about the bums and thugs that hang out in the square. I walk this area frequently and see all kinds of illegal, illicit activities going on. It reminds me of a third world country right in the heart of Atlanta. If you cross the street to the restaurant area it is completely differnt. There is constant patrolling of officers over there. Please do the same for Barbara Asher square. I look forward to one day soon eating my lunch without interference in Woodruff Park.

By Bradley

Aug 7, 2008 2:56 PM | Link to this

Hey, we used to have that same exact problem in New York years ago. Not anymore. Rudy Guiliani just had buses brought in late at night, scooped up all the homeless and drug dealers and other miscreants and shipped them to New Jersey.
It's been 10 years and you can actually walk around the Times Square area and not get accosted by these useless life forms anymore. Shirley should get them picked up and dropped off in Alabama somewhere.
It would be a win win. Atlanta would be done with them and they would get a free trip elsewhere!

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