The city center of Atlanta, Georgia, was the scene of a violent demonstration on Saturday evening following the death of an environmental activist.
Black-clad protesters threw rocks and lit fireworks in front of a skyscraper, where the Atlanta Police Foundation is located.
They also set fire to a police car, broke windows and destroyed walls with messages in them graffiti against the police.
These protesters were part of a group of hundreds of people who had gathered and marched along popular Peachtree Street to commemorate the death of an environmental protester identified as Tortuguita.
Tortuguita died Wednesday as authorities evacuated a small group of protesters from a planned public safety training center in Atlanta, which activists have dubbed “Cop City,” according to the Associated Press. [cidade da polícia]”.
The Georgia State Bureau of Investigation said the protester was killed by police officers after shooting and wounding a soldier. Activists, however, questioned the version of events and demanded an independent investigation.
Meanwhile, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said at a news conference that authorities arrested six people this Saturday and recovered explosives.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp deplored the violence and thanked the officers who took part in the action.
“Violence and illegal destruction of property are not protests,” the Republican governor wrote on Twitter. “These are crimes that will not be tolerated in Georgia,” he added.
Source: DN
