Global InformationGeorge Floyd protests in Atlanta information
| George Floyd protests in Atlanta | |
|---|---|
| Part of George Floyd protests in Georgia and the 2020–2021 United States racial unrest | |
 Georgia National Guard troops and protesters near Centennial Olympic Park, June 4 | |
| Date | May – June 2020[note 1] (1 month) |
| Location | Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
| Caused by |
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The George Floyd protests in Atlanta were a series of protests occurring in Atlanta, the capital and largest city of Georgia, United States. The protests were part of the George Floyd protests and, more broadly, the 2020–2021 United States racial unrest, which began shortly after the murder of George Floyd by police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. On May 26, protesting occurred in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area and, over the next several weeks, protests spread to cities throughout the United States and then internationally.
In Atlanta, protesting began on May 29, the first Friday following Floyd's murder. The protests primarily centered around Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta, where several hundred protesters gathered on the first night, though other sights that saw extensive protesting included the Georgia State Capitol, Atlanta City Hall, and the Georgia Governor's Mansion, among other places. On the first day, protesting was primarily peaceful in nature until later in the evening, when the situation became more violent. Protesters and police clashed throughout the night as several buildings and vehicles around the Centennial Olympic Park area were damaged or vandalized. Of particular note, the CNN Center (headquarters of the international news channel CNN) was the site of extensive fighting between police stationed inside the building and protesters outside. During the night, then Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms declared a state of emergency and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp activated the Georgia National Guard; over a thousand troops deployed to Atlanta the next day. The following day, Mayor Bottoms instated a 9 p.m. curfew. The next few days would follow a similar pattern to the first, with protests during the day becoming more intense into the night. Several hundred protesters were arrested during the first several nights of protests, June 5 being the first night since the protests began that no protesters were arrested.
On June 12, a police officer in the city shot and killed Rayshard Brooks outside of a Wendy's downtown, which triggered another large-scale wave of protests. The next day, about a thousand protesters congregated near the site of Brooks' death, and later that evening, the restaurant was burned down. Protesting continued through June, with several large demonstrations occurring on Juneteenth (June 19). A definitive end to the protesting is unclear, with one source published in October 2020 mentioning "months of periodic protests" in the city.[1] Additional protests were held in April 2021 following the killing of Daunte Wright and the announcement of the verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin.
- ^ a b Amy, Jeff (October 7, 2020). "After protests, Georgia will build fence around capitol". AP News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 22, 2020. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
- ^ "Atlanta protesters march in solidarity with families of George Floyd, Daunte Wright". WAGA-TV. April 16, 2021. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
- ^ Judd, Alan; Stevens, Alexis (April 20, 2021). "Months after unrest over George Floyd's death, Atlanta relieved at guilty verdict". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Enterprises. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
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