Fulton Co. Under State Of Emergency, ATL Rioters Urged To Go Home

ATLANTA, GA — A protest march Friday from the Georgia capitol to Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park drew thousands, authorities estimated, but unruly crowds gathered to break windows at CNN's headquarters. The deaths of Ahmaud Arbery in coastal Georgia, Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Ky., and George Floyd in Minnesota sparked a movement for justice.

But some of the marchers broke off and objects were thrown at police, cars were set on fire, and stores were looted. About midnight, Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency for Fulton County.

The crowd first caused damage to the CNN Center. Violence spread and fire damaged a Ruth's Chris Steak House and a local Starbucks. The Chick-fil-A next to the College Football Hall of Fame has also been broken into. From there crowds moved to Lenox Square, where there were reports of looting.

"At the request of Mayor Keisha Bottoms & in consultation with public safety & emergency preparedness officials, I have issued a State of Emergency for Fulton County to activate as many as 500 Georgia Guard troops to protect people & property in Atlanta," Kemp tweeted. "They will deploy immediately to assist @ga_dps , @GaDNRLE , @GA_Corrections & local law enforcement who are working tirelessly to subdue unlawful activity & restore peace. We will continue to make all state resources available to local leaders during this emergency situation."

Atlanta Police said protestors have caused "extensive damage to patrol vehicles and buildings" near Centennial Olympic Park Drive and Marietta Street. Several businesses have been looted in the same area. Small fires have been started, included to an APD patrol vehicle. Police said with the help of multiple local and state law enforcement agencies, they are working to restore order in the city.

"We have issued disbursement orders and deployed tear gas in an effort to break up the protests," APD said in a statement. "However, officers continue to endure nearly constant assault, including protestors shooting BB guns at them, throwing bricks, bottles, rocks and knives at them as they continue their efforts to protect property and lives. At the moment, at least three officers have been injured in the confrontation and we are aware of multiple arrests."

A little after 11 p.m. police deployed tear gas to get protesters to out of the area. It's reported that they're moving towards Lenox Square next.

Rappers and the daughter of the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. joined Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms at police headquarters to urge Atlantans who are angry about the most recent deaths of blacks at the hands of whites to "go home" and make the change at the polls.

"If we lose Atlanta, what else do we have?" asked Killer Mike, a rapper, actor, and activist.

CNN reported a car was on fire outside of the CNN Center, while windows were broken out of multiple police vehicles parked in front of CNN. Police were called after protesters gathered outside the network's office and spray painted the CNN sign and broken windows of restaurants near the CNN Center.

Rapper T.I. said Atlanta has always been a place where African Americans can prosper when other cities haven’t given them a chance.

"Atlanta has been there for us, Atlanta doesn’t deserve this...we can’t do this here, it’s 'Wakanda,' [and] must be protected," he said.

The mayor urged people to stop and return home immediately.

“If you care about this city then go home," she said during a news conference. “You’re not protesting anything by running out with brown liquor in your hands. When you burn down this city you’re burning down our community.

"If you want change in America register to vote. Show up to our polls June 9. That is the change we need in this country," the mayor told protesters. "You’re disgracing our city and the life of George Floyd and anyone else killed in this country. We are better than this as a city and county. ... We’re no longer talking about the murder of an innocent man. We’re now talking about the burning of the streets of Atlanta, Georgia. Go home.”

Gov. Brian Kemp tweeted just before 10:30 p.m. that state law enforcement officials have been working closely with Mayor Bottoms and the Atlanta Police throughout the day.

"When asked to provide support and assistance, the state immediately responded, and we will continue to do so," Kemp tweeted. "The safety of our citizens remains our top priority. We stand with the mayor and urge everyone to go home."

Bernice King said she once was left without a father as a child, just as the daughter of Floyd lost her father at age 6.

"This is a moment where people are fed up. I have to make an appeal to my brothers and sister because I realize the only way to get constructive change is through nonviolent means," King said.

Her father said "riots are the language of the unheard. The part we often miss is about the unheard. This is a time when we all have to listen — the cries coming out of the hearts and souls and other young brother and sisters in the streets. Things can’t go back to how they were yesterday.

"The only path I know is nonviolent means, it’s a proven method," King added. "It didn’t fail my father...what is the end goal? We want change and we want it now, but it never comes through violence, that causes more problems..."

As the mayor, King and others told rioters to go home, some in the crowds were shooting BB guns at police officers. In return, police fired tear gas into the crowd.

“If you care about a peaceful protest you’re not longer in one, organize and come back," Lance-Bottoms said. "We are all angry, this hurts. But what are you changing by tearing up a city? You’ve lost all credibility now."

Ambassador Andrew Young told 11Alive the protests have "disintegrated into foolishness."

“I really don’t want this to be an arrest-fest. I think that just exacerbates the issue even further,” Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields told the TV station.

Officers are using bullhorns to order the protesters to disperse.

Atlanta Police said the demonstration began peacefully with a march from Centennial Olympic Park to the Capitol and back. Most protesters entered the park, while some walked south on Centennial Olympic Park Drive where they surrounded an officer inside his patrol vehicle.

"Additional officers arrived and began to push protesters back away from the vehicle, which led to a number of scuffles between police and protesters and at least three arrests," the police department said in a statement. "One officer was pushed to the ground and sustained minor injuries. It does appear pepper spray was utilized several times during the confrontation.

Water bottles, eggs and other items have been thrown at officers.

Patch will update this breaking news. Patch Editors Kathleen Sturgeon and Deb Belt contributed to this article.

Plans For Protest

Organizers have taken to social media to spread the word, saying it’ll be a "peaceful" protest following social distancing. They'll be joining protests around the country.

Here’s the schedule:

3 p.m.: Meet Centennial Olympic Park to make signs and distribute water
3:45 p.m.: Begin March to Capitol
4:20 p.m.: Protest/Brief Moment of Silence
5:30 p.m.: Begin march back to Centennial Olympic Park

They are being organized under the #ATLFORUS hashtag.

Arbery was chased down and fatally shot while jogging through his Satilla Shores neighborhood in Brunswick, Georgia on Feb. 23. Retired police detective Gregory McMichael, 64, and Travis McMichael, 34, were arrested May 7 by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, two days after the agency took over the case from local authorities.

Floyd, 46, who is black, was killed in Minneapolis in police custody after an officer, Derek Chauvin, who is white, placed his knee on the handcuffed man's neck for several minutes. Video footage of his death shows Floyd pleading that he couldn't breathe, as bystanders try to point out the danger to the officers on the scene.

Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT in Louisville was fatally shot March 13 during a "no-knock" search warrant, according to several reports.

Vice President Mike Pence visited Atlanta Friday to speak at a memorial service for prominent Christian evangelist Ravi Zacharias, who died May 19 of cancer. While here, Pence stopped at Unity National Bank in Atlanta, where he addressed the deaths of Floyd and Arbery, reports WSB.

“Our prayers are with George Floyd’s family. Our prayers are also with the family of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia," Pence said. "We have no tolerance for racism in America. We have no tolerance for violence inspired by racism. And as President Trump said, justice will be served.”

Related:

• George Floyd Death: Former Cop Derek Chauvin Charged With Murder