NAACP To Protest Trump At National Championship Game

ATLANTA, GA — The NAACP will be among the groups protesting President Donald Trump's anticipated presence Monday night at the college football National Championship Game in Atlanta. The announcement comes almost exactly a year after the president called Atlanta "in horrible shape," "falling apart" and "crime infested" on Twitter.

While the Atlanta branch of the civil rights organization "will not be officially participating" in demonstrations outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the group is urging those who do protest to wave white towels "simulating a blizzard while the president is in the packed stadium."

The University of Georgia and University of Alabama are set to play for the national title in the game, which starts at 8 p.m.

"Trump has made a terrible decision and is disrupting (the game) with his presence," the NAACP said in a Facebook post. "We respect those who choose to (protest), and we fully expect some groups who will be protesting outside the game."

The white-towel blizzard is a response to the insulting term "snowflakes," according to the NAACP.

"Trump supporters mockingly call the opposition snowflakes, but when we come together we create a mighty storm," the NAACP said in the post.

It was almost exactly a year ago when Trump took to Twitter to insult Atlanta — a fact many critics were mentioning in the wake of news that he planned to attend the game in the heart of Atlanta's downtown.

Last January, U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a Democrat whose Fifth Congressional District covers much of the city, said he would not attend Trump's inauguration and that he didn't view Trump as "a legitimate president," in part because he believed Russian interference helped Trump defeat Hillary Clinton.

In response to Lewis, Trump took to Twitter to attack the civil rights leader and his district, which includes multiple universities, Fortune 500 companies, the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention and other institutions, along with a diverse array of residential communities.

"Congressman John Lewis should spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart (not to...... mention crime infested) rather than falsely complaining about the election results. All talk, talk, talk - no action or results. Sad!"

Speaking on MSNBC on Sunday, Atlanta NAACP chapter president Richard Rose said Trump's words, which many observers felt were racially loaded, are fresh in the minds of many in the city.

"Those of us in Atlanta know we have a great city with great facilities or this football game wouldn't be held in Atlanta," Rose said. "This is just more of the same for this president.

"If it's so bad, don't come."

The NAACP did not release detailed protest plans for the game but said the group is "presently working with a number of civil rights/social justice organizations and we will share additional plans as appropriate."

Atlanta Police, which have worked for months alongside state and federal law enforcement agencies to plan security for the big game, has said several designated areas for protesters will be set up and that officers won't interfere with demonstrations in those areas.

Photo of Mercedes-Benz Stadium courtesy Georgia World Congress Center Authority