Demonstrators meet in Centennial Park to demand change

Four days after a police officer shot and killed Rayshard Brooks during a DUI arrest at an Atlanta Wendy’s, protesters continued to take to the streets to rally against police brutality, Confederate monuments and racism.

On Tuesday, demonstrators went to one of metro Atlanta's largest monuments portraying Confederate figures: Stone Mountain. They met at West Mountain Street outside of the park to protest the Confederate memorial carving of Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis.

Later in the afternoon, protesters gathered at Centennial Olympic Park, then marched to the Martin Luther King Jr. Center.

A few dozen people were among the first to arrive downtown, accompanied by a gospel singer who was setting the mood. The group observed a moment of silence when it arrived at the MLK Center.

Credit: Johnny Edwards

Credit: Johnny Edwards

Following religious songs, singer Emill Bridges gave a short sermon focused on keeping demonstrations peaceful.

He said there is less media interest in peaceful demonstrations like today’s than in spectacles where buildings are damaged. “The enemy wants us to be focused more on the physical part than the spiritual part,” Bridges said.

The march’s organizer, Asante Hill of Black Men of Valor, also told the group to not be discouraged because it isn’t thousands strong.

Credit: Johnny Edwards

“Whether it’s 50 or 5,000, every one of you matters,” he said in front of a group of about 90 participants.’

Among the group was Darrell Harris, who was attending his third demonstration in Atlanta over the past few weeks. He said the killing of George Floyd was a breaking point for his generation, and the shooting death of Rayshard Brooks shook him up just as much.

A decade ago, when Harris was in the Navy in Virginia, he said he was pulled over and arrested for suspected drunk driving. Though he spent a night in jail, the black police officer took mercy on him by only citing him for public intoxication.

Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC

Brooks’ killing made him realize he’s lucky to be alive.

“This situation is rehashing a lot of frustrations that everyone has pent up,” Harris, 37, said. “We’ve gotten comfortable with the status quo, with teaching our children to be afraid of police.”

Simultaneously Tuesday evening, a few dozen people met at the Wendy’s where Brooks was killed. The restaurant, which was lit ablaze Saturday night amid protests, is adorned with flowers, posters and messages of “Black Lives Matter.”

Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC

Queen Sudan, 42, said she hopes the location will become a symbol for the movement.

“This needs to be something educational, something historical,” she continued, “something bad happened here, let’s make something good happen. This can be a sanctuary spot.”

The Wendy’s where Rayshard Brooks was shot by police, 4 days after protesters burnt it down. @ajc pic.twitter.com/rB1zMpjBqL
— Sarah Kallis (@SarahKallis) June 16, 2020

Protests continued at the burned-out restaurant on Tuesday night, when a crowd of about 100 gathered near the Wendy’s and attempted to block the intersection of University Avenue and Pryor street.

Georgia State Patrol officers and Atlanta police were working to clear the intersection. Several protesters said they were armed and one woman protester threatened an AJC reporter over a bullhorn.

Atlanta's protests, which began after the in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, have been going on for more than three weeks, and the death of Brooks reinvigorated local outcries for police reform.

COMPLETE COVERAGE: Rayshard Brooks case and Atlanta protests

Brooks, who was found sleeping in his car in a Wendy’s drive-thru, was involved in a struggle with Atlanta police officers over a Taser following a failed breathalyzer test. The incident ended with Brooks taking the Taser and being shot by Officer Garrett Rolfe, who has since been fired.

MORE: Ex-cop who shot, killed Rayshard Brooks was previously reprimanded for use of force