Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Police Chief George Turner have a message for protesters as a new round of gatherings begins to assemble: We support your right to march and speak out, but not to break stuff or block traffic.
Credit: Jennifer Brett
Credit: Jennifer Brett
"Don't be mad at the police for preventing you from destroying other people's property," Reed said during a news conference Wednesday. "When Dr. Martin Luther King and Ambassador Andrew Young and Ralph David Abernathy marched they did it in a highly coordinated process," Reed said. "They didn't just go run on the freeway."
Tuesday night, protestors blocked the 75/85 Connector near downtown Atlanta for a time, but authorities moved in quickly to intervene and get things moving again. Tuesday night ended with two dozen people arrested and a smattering of property damage: an APD vehicle and a taxi had their windows smashed as did a few businesses.
"We want people to be able to demonstrate peacefully in our city without damaging property," Atlanta Police Department Chief George Turner said.
So far this evening protesters are focused on getting out their message in a peaceful way. Images from the Five Points Marta station area downtown:
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