Day-to-Day coverage of the Black Lives Matter
Protests in Atlanta

Coverage by Gabriel Ossa, Ricky Sweeting, Judith Y. Kim and Hagen McMenemy

Ever since May 29, when someone broke a window of the CNN Center building, Georgia has seen pockets of #BlackLivesMatter protests all throughout the state, though most have been concentrated in the capitol of Atlanta.

Almost immediately, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms implemented a 9 p.m. curfew and, with the help of Governor Brian Kemp, deployed the National Guard.

Given our stance within the larger issue at hand, we’ve been hitting the streets every day to capture the movement at its highest. From May 30 to June 8 (when Governor Kemp pulled the National Guard), we captured the protests progression, as well as the sentiment of the people.

DAY 2: May 30

A woman burns sage to help relieve tensions stirring in the atmosphere. Gabe Ossa | Avant-Youth

Protesters surround the capital building in downtown Atlanta as the APD and National guard stand by with armored cars.Gabe Ossa | Avant-Youth

The National Guard is posted around the State Capitol while demonstrators surround the building. Gabe Ossa | Avant-Youth

DAY 3: May 31

DAY 4: June 1

A masked protester poses in front of a National Guard convoy. Gabe Ossa | Avant-Youth

A protester ironically stands with a ring around him to promote social distancing amongst the protesters, who are in close proximity to one another. Gabe Ossa | Avant-Youth

An APD officer and protesters discuss the current situation at ground zero in downtown Atlanta. Ricky Sweeting | Avant-Youth

Protesters visually express their attitudes towards the APD during the march to MLK Historical Park on Day 4. Ricky Sweeting | Avant-Youth

A protester holds the American flag upside down in representation of the fundamental hypocrisy of the American system. Gabe Ossa | Avant-Youth

A man stands above the crowd in a powerful gesture for Black empowerment. Gabe Ossa | Avant-Youth

DAY 5: June 2

DAY 6: June 3

Protesters block the streets as they march through Atlanta, holding signs and chanting for justice. Hagen McMenemy | Avant-Youth

Protesters march through Olympic park streets en route to the center of demonstrations with the College Football Hall of Fame in sight.
James Hunter | Avant-Youth

White protesters hold up signs acknowledging their privilege and using it to stand in solidarity with BLM. Hagen McMenemy | Avant-Youth

A Black bus driver stops his bus and lets protesters stand in front of it and wave their signs. Hagen McMenemy | Avant-Youth

A woman strongly totes two signs, one calling upon people to vote and the other to the chant, “No Justice, No Peace."
James Hunter | Avant-Youth

The protests spread to different parts of Atlanta, supporting the call to reform the justice system. On June 3, protesters marched all the way to Piedmont Park from downtown Atlanta, overrunning the streets to midtown. Hagen McMenemy | Avant-Youth

DAY 7: June 4

On June 4, Mayor Bottoms announced that the 9 p.m. curfew was being changed to 8 p.m., although businesses would still be allowed to operate past this hour. The basic message was clear: Stay off the streets.

The starting point of the May 29 riots, the CNN building is heavily surrounded by the National Guard for security.
Judith Y. Kim | Avant-Youth

Protesters rally towards "Ground Zero" as National Guard Humvees block off the streets.
Judith Y. Kim | Avant-Youth

National Guardsmen pull security within Olympic park, brandishing riot gear and body armor.
Judith Y. Kim | Avant-Youth

Demonstrators gather in front of Centennial Olympic park to the left of CNN Center as the sun begins to set on Day 7.
Judith Y. Kim | Avant-Youth

DAY 8: June 5
Breonna Taylor's 27th Birthday

DAY 9: June 6

After Day 8 went by without any arrests, Mayor Bottoms decides to lift the curfew on Saturday, June 6.

During the day, there were many peaceful protests throughout the city, one of which was organized by health care workers. Nurses, administrative staff, med students and doctors alike gathered nearby Grady Memorial to march to Centennial Olympic Park.

Atlanta health care workers organized their own march and joined the protests from Grady Memorial. During the initial address, some med students stated that they've joined the medical field to combat the racial injustice in the American healthcare system.
Judith Y. Kim | Avant-Youth

Dr. Khadeja Johnson (L) is an internal medicine doctor, standing alongside Jasmine Gentry who is a 3rd year Morehouse med student as they listen to the health care protest address.
Judith Y. Kim | Avant-Youth

A group of educators give out snacks and water while standing in solidarity with the BLM protests.
Judith Y. Kim | Avant-Youth

Two young volunteers help by giving out orange masks they funded with their friends for the BLM protest.
Judith Y. Kim | Avant-Youth

Packs of bright orange cloth masks. A group of friends got some funds together to give these out to protesters (or really anyone) who weren't wearing any masks.
Judith Y. Kim | Avant-Youth

Hebrew Israelites (sometimes called the "Black Israelites") were among the many groups that showed up to protest downtown.
Judith Y. Kim | Avant-Youth

By Day 9, though the protesters' presence was still heavy by the hundreds, the atmosphere was generally more amicable. Three National Guardsmen chat with two demonstrators taking a picnic break. Judith Y. Kim | Avant-Youth

DAY 10: June 7

Amanda DeLeon (off camera to the R) tells her friend Mark to take the BLM posters down from the Centennial Olympic Park's gates. Initially they were going to leave the signs on, but a law enforcement officer walked by and asked if the signs were theirs. Upon answering "no," the officer slowly turned as if to look for another party. The group immediately inquired the fate of the posters, to which the officer uncomfortably walked away.
Judith Y. Kim | Avant-Youth

Isaiah Charley is a 23-year-old Los Angeles native who moved to Atlanta a few years ago for the city's creative scene. On Day 10 of the Atlanta protests, he'd been out for 5-6 hours marching.
Judith Y. Kim | Avant-Youth

72-year-old Nathan Knight (far R) talks some young people, namely Danielle Rich and her cousins that are underage, to hold his flag in front of the Atlanta Hawks sign.
Judith Y. Kim | Avant-Youth

A young woman carries a BLM flag in front of a police blockade on Marietta St.
Judith Y. Kim | Avant-Youth

DAY 11: June 8

By the second Monday night, the city had grown quiet. The National Guard was heading out, and the once-crowded streets stared blankly back into the night. Around 9:50 p.m., it began to rain heavily, washing out any debris left behind.

In light of the recent shooting and death of Rayshard Brooks this past Saturday, as well as another Black man in Newnan yesterday, however, we don’t see Atlanta resting any time soon.

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Mayor Bottoms’s Inaction At Heart of BLM Protesters Concerns in Atlanta • Avant-Youth · June 27, 2020 at 11:49 pm

[…] and violence have seemingly been stemmed, but the frustrations remain, if not grown. The protests continue and saw renewed vigor when police killed Rayshard Brooks at the Wendy’s on University […]