36 Arrested, Wendy’s Burned After Protests Over Atlanta Police Shooting
By Asia Simone Burns
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Three dozen demonstrators were arrested Saturday evening after a flood of protesters overtook Atlanta’s Downtown Connector and blocked traffic, police said.
The incident happened shortly after a Wendy’s restaurant that was the site of a black man’s death at the hands of an Atlanta police officer was set ablaze.
Protesters walked onto the highway and locked arms when troopers warned them that they were violating laws. “You have three minutes to disperse,” a trooper said.
Organizers encouraged people to leave, but not many did.The massive demonstration, which opened the third straight weekend of protests in Atlanta, was roused by the death of Rayshard Brooks. Brooks, 27, was fatally shot Friday night in the parking lot of the Wendy’s on University Avenue.
Police were sent to the Wendy’s after Brooks reportedly fell asleep in his car and blocked the restaurant’s drive-thru. A struggle broke out when officers attempted to arrest the man.
A video posted on social media showed Brooks on the ground wrestling with two white Atlanta police officers in the parking lot. Officers attempted to use a Taser on Brooks, who was able to wrestle the stun gun away and run away, with officers in pursuit.
Shots are heard but not seen in the video. Officer Garret Rolfe, who officials said fired the shots that killed Brooks, was terminated from the department. The second officer involved, Officer Devin Bronson, has been placed on administrative duty, officials said.
The incident comes as people across the country are protesting the death of George Floyd, who died while in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Floyd’s death sparked new outrage over the treatment of black people by law enforcement and led to the first round of enthusiastic demonstrations in Atlanta.
The Wendy’s restaurant that was the site of the Brooks’ death was left burning Saturday after protesters broke windows and tossed fireworks inside. Cortez Stafford, a spokesman for Atlanta fire, said the blaze grew because it wasn’t safe to get to the area near the restaurant when the fire began.
Fire crews contained the flames, but were unable to go inside the building to thoroughly extinguish all hot spots, parts of the blaze were rekindled. The few flames that popped up “did not pose a threat to the already burned structure,” Stafford said.
The furor mirrored a May 29 protest that began peacefully but devolved into chaos, leaving behind a slew of fires, damaged business and a vandalized CNN Center.
Of the 36 people arrested, 15 had Atlanta addresses, according to department spokesman Officer Steve Avery.
Seventeen were from the state of Georgia outside of the city, and four were from out of state, he said. The charges of those who were arrested have not been released.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Three dozen demonstrators were arrested Saturday evening after a flood of protesters overtook Atlanta’s Downtown Connector and blocked traffic, police said.
The incident happened shortly after a Wendy’s restaurant that was the site of a black man’s death at the hands of an Atlanta police officer was set ablaze.
Protesters walked onto the highway and locked arms when troopers warned them that they were violating laws. “You have three minutes to disperse,” a trooper said.
Organizers encouraged people to leave, but not many did.The massive demonstration, which opened the third straight weekend of protests in Atlanta, was roused by the death of Rayshard Brooks. Brooks, 27, was fatally shot Friday night in the parking lot of the Wendy’s on University Avenue.
Police were sent to the Wendy’s after Brooks reportedly fell asleep in his car and blocked the restaurant’s drive-thru. A struggle broke out when officers attempted to arrest the man.
A video posted on social media showed Brooks on the ground wrestling with two white Atlanta police officers in the parking lot. Officers attempted to use a Taser on Brooks, who was able to wrestle the stun gun away and run away, with officers in pursuit.
Shots are heard but not seen in the video. Officer Garret Rolfe, who officials said fired the shots that killed Brooks, was terminated from the department. The second officer involved, Officer Devin Bronson, has been placed on administrative duty, officials said.
The incident comes as people across the country are protesting the death of George Floyd, who died while in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Floyd’s death sparked new outrage over the treatment of black people by law enforcement and led to the first round of enthusiastic demonstrations in Atlanta.
The Wendy’s restaurant that was the site of the Brooks’ death was left burning Saturday after protesters broke windows and tossed fireworks inside. Cortez Stafford, a spokesman for Atlanta fire, said the blaze grew because it wasn’t safe to get to the area near the restaurant when the fire began.
Fire crews contained the flames, but were unable to go inside the building to thoroughly extinguish all hot spots, parts of the blaze were rekindled. The few flames that popped up “did not pose a threat to the already burned structure,” Stafford said.
The furor mirrored a May 29 protest that began peacefully but devolved into chaos, leaving behind a slew of fires, damaged business and a vandalized CNN Center.
Of the 36 people arrested, 15 had Atlanta addresses, according to department spokesman Officer Steve Avery.
Seventeen were from the state of Georgia outside of the city, and four were from out of state, he said. The charges of those who were arrested have not been released.
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