Local Reporter Calls Atlanta Protest ‘Largely Peaceful’ despite Violence, Arson, Multiple Arrests
A local reporter in Atlanta, Ga. called a violent protest in the city’s downtown—in which six people were arrested, at least one police car was lit on fire, and multiple buildings were smashed and vandalized—”mostly peaceful” in his Saturday night broadcast.
“It was a largely peaceful protest, where they just wanted what they’re calling ‘justice’ for Tortuguita,” the journalist said on camera, which caught a car ablaze in the background.
Local Atlanta reporter calls the protest in Atlanta “largely peaceful protest” as a police cruiser is on fire in the background.
You can’t make this stuff up. pic.twitter.com/tYJpJulxdH
— Largely peaceful protest 3sidedstory 🇺🇲 (@3sidedstory) January 22, 2023
Activists were demonstrating against police, who killed 26-year-old environmental activist Manuel Esteban Paez Teran after he allegedly refused to comply with authorities and fired a gun at them at the location of a new police training facility. Activists had stationed themselves on the 85-acre property to protest the planned center. Georgia state troopers then conducted a raid on the forest to remove the activists on Wednesday, during which skirmish Teran was killed. Seven people were arrested and charged with domestic terrorism on Wednesday.
Teran, who reportedly identified as gender nonbinary with they/it pronouns, went by the nickname Tortuguita (“little turtle” in Spanish).
“They want justice for him after the shooting that happened when Atlanta police and the different law enforcement agencies were raiding that forest to clear out the forest after everything that was going on,” the reporter added.
Teran injured the state trooper when he shot him in the abdomen. The trooper, who was wearing a bulletproof vest, was hospitalized and underwent surgery.
“An individual, without warning, shot a Georgia State Patrol trooper,” Georgia Bureau of Investigations’ Michael Register said at a press briefing earlier this week. “Other law enforcement personnel returned fire in self-defense and evacuated the trooper to a safe area. The individual who fired upon law enforcement and shot the trooper was killed in the exchange of gunfire.”
Some outlets reported that the protest on Saturday started out civil and then devolved into rioting, property destruction, and mayhem across the city. Activists threw rocks at the Atlanta Police Foundation building and others in downtown Atlanta, smashing glass windows and doors. Video footage captured by Fox 5 Atlanta showed fireworks erupting on the scene. Some buildings were also vandalized with spray paint.
BREAKING: #COPCITY protesters throw rocks at Atlanta Police Foundation building in downtown Atlanta. They also set off fireworks and spray painted the building. #ATL #BREAKING #NOW @FOX5Atlanta pic.twitter.com/BwF5CzNgIm
— Billy Heath III (@BillyHeathFOX5) January 21, 2023
“Atlanta Police officers have responded to a group damaging property at several locations along Peachtree [Street],” the Atlanta PD said in a statement Saturday, according to Fox 5. “Several arrests have been made at this time and order has been restored to the downtown space. This is still an active and ongoing investigation and we will not be able to provide specifics on arrests numbers or property damaged, at this time.”
Police stabilized the situation downtown by Saturday night, with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens updating that “Atlanta is safe and our police officers have resolved the disruptions downtown from earlier in the evening.”
