Atlanta’s peaceful protest in honor of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery escalated by the Atlanta Police Department. (a thread):

We started walking from Centennial Park to the State Capitol Building. Spirits were high, free water was being passed around, free sign making and everything. Not a gun in sight, I hadn’t seen any police officers at this point.

I want to say 15 minutes or so into the March, we saw some cops. They wasn’t doing nothing, just sitting there as we marched.

Made it to the Capitol! People were getting dehydrated, but that was about the extent of “injuries” at this point.

We walked back to Centennial and there was a little traffic, everybody in their cars were honking their horns in support too!! It felt amazing and liberating

Speeches were made once we made it back to centennial. Again, an amazing and liberating feeling to see so many people our supporting our cause and being so peaceful about it.

Me and my homegirl decided it was time to dip cause ppl be hungry!! But as soon as we crossed the street, this happened.

Mind you, there was NO VIOLENCE TAKING PLACE. One minute there were cops on bikes then the next minute the whole department pulled out on the scene

They pulled into the crowd DEEP. Literally more kept arriving. People starting running. People from the crowd said they were pepper spraying, arresting people, and one officer apparently hit a black girl. No one I talked to had any clue what was going on.

Then the running.

Ambulances pulled onto the scene. As we left, more arrived. As did more cops.

I am safe. My ankle hurts a ton from the running but I’m good. Please pray for Atlanta along with your other prayers for the rest of the country. The police department is TERRORIZING my people and escalating our peaceful protest for their own sick benefit.

Black lives matter. They will ALWAYS MATTER.