Occupy Atlanta | Protesters leave jail, vow to continue

By Alexis Stevens

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

One by one, arrested Occupy Atlanta protesters began leaving the Atlanta City Jail Wednesday afternoon. The protesters began walking out of the jail around 2:30 p.m. and were greeted by a cheering group of supporters, chanting "Freedom" and clapping as each one walked out.

"Hey, hey. Ho, ho. Corporate greed has got to go," the group shouted in unison. "The people, united, will never be defeated."

The group vowed to continue their efforts and held an impromptu press conference outside the jail, but there were no plans announced regarding the next move for the protesters. A total of 52 protesters were arrested in Woodruff Park early Wednesday after being asked repeatedly to leave.

While some protesters were eager to discuss their time between bars, others gathered outside the jail turned their anger to reporters, vocally attacking media coverage of the group's efforts.

The Occupy Atlanta leader, Tim Franzen, turned to name-calling when asked about his criminal history, which includes arrests in Cobb County. After telling his own supporters he could speak for himself, Franzen said he had turned his life around -- and changed his last name -- in the years after his arrest and guilty plea for a burglary charge.

"It's not hidden information," Franzen said of his record, found under the name Timothy McCabe.

One of the most high-profile protesters, Joe Beasley of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, was among those most critical of Mayor Kasim Reed's order to clear the park. He praised the efforts of the "diverse group of young people" who were arrested for refusing to leave the park.

"I'm going straight from here to get a recall petition," said Beasley, dressed in a suit and tie, just moments after his release from jail.

State Sen. Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta) was also among those speaking out against Reed. Fort was also arrested.

"That was the most peaceful place in Atlanta," Fort said. "There was no need for what he did."

A judge earlier Wednesday ruled that all 52 people could be released on signature bonds. By 5 p.m., just a handful remained inside the jail, according to protesters.

Within minutes of protesters being released, cases of bottled water and food were unloaded from a pickup truck, parked across Peachtree Street.

Misty Novitch, the fourth protester released from jail, spoke to the AJC moments after being released. Novitch said she stayed at the park despite repeated requests by police to vacate.

"Last night, they brought in all the guns," Novitch said. "I'm curious to see what that cost the city of Atlanta."

Matthew Magnuson, a college student, said he and others remained calm during the arrests, sitting together in a circle as officers approached. Magnuson said the group may "re-take" another Atlanta park, but didn't know specifics.

Another of group's leaders, Latron Price, told the AJC that the protesters would decide later Wednesday what the next step would be, but said the group should not have been removed from the park.

"It's a public park we all pay for," said Price, who was not among those arrested.

At lease one of those arrested required medical attention from paramedics, who were called to the jail just after 5 p.m. The ill protester was stretched out on the ground with others gathered around him.

Atlanta Municipal Judge Crystal Gaines set a March 9 arraignment hearing for the protesters, and agreed to the $100 signature bonds despite concerns from assistant solicitor Andrew Taylor that the defendants might not return to court for trial.

Taylor had asked that the bond be raised to $500 and that each of those jailed be required to pay that amount.

"There was a lawful command that the officers gave all these defendants; they did not follow that lawful command," Taylor told the judge. "So how are we going to say on a signature bond that you can just come back to court, when you've already demonstrated that you will not follow a lawful command to leave, so how can we trust that they will follow a lawful command to come back to court?"

Gaines denied the request and also said that any of the protesters who are homeless and had no address would be allowed to provide an Occupy Atlanta address in signing their bonds.

After the hearing, the nine attorneys, who were defending the jailed protesters pro bono, addressed another group of sign-carrying Occupy Atlanta supporters on the steps of the court building. Lawyers representing the protesters included Musa M. Ghanayem, Robbin Shipp, Mawuli Davis, Marcia Fuller, Shantel Martin, Antavius Weems and David Markus. All are volunteering their services.

Woodruff Park, meanwhile, remained quiet and empty late Wednesday afternoon. Atlanta Police spokesman Carlos Campos issued a statement at mid-morning saying that the park was closed and that anyone entering the park would be arrested.

-- Staff writer Mike Morris contributed to this article.