College Football Hall of Fame Decimated by Rioters in Atlanta

Some of them call themselves protesters, but they have other ideas in mind besides protesting.

When it comes to the destruction and theft of property, it’s gone beyond a protest.

Just a few days ago, rioters destroyed and looted the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

The protests initially erupted over the death of George Floyd by police, but they quickly turned violent.

In addition to the College Football Hall of Fame, many businesses and government buildings faced extreme damage and looting.

Fox News reports the details on the situation:

The College Football Hall of Fame fell victim to looting Friday night during protests in Atlanta related to George Floyd’s police-involved death earlier this week, officials said.

Atlanta Police Department Sgt. John Chafee said in a statement Saturday that the $68.5 million facility in Atlanta was one the businesses targeted by looters.

“Protesters continue damaging businesses, looting and setting fire to buildings,” Chafee said in a statement obtained by ESPN. “There has been looting at the College Football Hall of Fame … and many other businesses. We are grateful for the assistance being provided by multiple local and state law enforcement partners as we work to minimize the damage being caused by these individuals and to restore order in our city.”

College Football Hall of Fame CEO Kimberly Beaudin also issued a statement condemning the damage done to the city and the Hall of Fame facility.

“We support the peaceful protests that honor [Floyd’s] memory but unfortunately deteriorated into chaos and disorder,” her statement read, according to the report. “We are heartbroken to see the damage to our city and the Hall of Fame.”

She continued: “In the coming days and weeks, we’ll work to pick up the pieces to rebuild the sacred walls that housed memories and honored those who played the game, many of whom fought these same injustices throughout their storied careers.”

Beaudin told ESPN separately that the looters were unable to enter the museum attraction and so no artifacts or displays were damaged or taken.

Why whenever Black Lives Matter comes to town, it almost always comes to violence and destruction?

Regardless of whether these protests have merit or not, there is a right way to do it and a complete wrong way.

Think of how many small businesses owned by black people dealt with theft and ruin.

The situation in Atlanta became so tumultuous, a curfew had to be enacted.

Here’s more from the AJC on the matter:

In downtown Atlanta, Saturday night’s response to George Floyd’s death began as a protest and ended with window-smashing, widespread vandalism and more than 150 arrests.
By 6 p.m., more than 200 people had gathered outside Centennial Olympic Park. The protesters shouted slogans like “no justice, no peace” and “I can’t breathe!”
Brandon Bell of Atlanta carried a sign that declared “white silence is the accomplice of evil.”
“African Americans can’t just do it by ourselves,” Bell said. “I know all white people aren’t racist. But we need white people to speak up. It’s time for systematic change.”

Michelle Caruso and Jeremiah Long of Atlanta brought a sign that called on police to “protect and serve all brothers and sisters.” Caruso said the sign reflected her Christian faith. And she said she has family members in Massachusetts who are police.

“I also appreciate the ones who are out here protecting us and keeping things peaceful,” she said.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms put a curfew into place for the city after Friday night’s chaotic protests that led to vandalism and looting in parts of downtown.  As the 9 p.m. curfew approached, the number of marchers gathered in the streets thinned slightly. 

But it was evident that some in the crowd were itching for a confrontation. A few tossed water bottles at police officers. Several were arrested for blocking the street.

As more police arrived, some of the shouts became angrier and obscene. One protester shouted “let’s start shooting back!” Another called a black officer a “sellout.”

Police lined the street around the corner where the protesters gathered, keeping them on the sidewalk. So the protesters marched several blocks before returning to the park. Confrontations became more frequent – some in the crowd tossed bottles, and police rushed in to make arrests, sometimes sending protesters scattering.

The standoff remained tense until protesters again set out – this time on a long, looping march that led them along Peachtree Street, across the Connector and past the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. The marchers were peaceful, but there were signs the night would turn ugly: A few marchers gathered stones along the way and put them in their pockets.

Many marchers blocked streets as they slowly moved back downtown. At one point, police moved in to arrest several people. But protesters reassembled downtown, marching from one confrontation with police to another. At least once, police used tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Vandals left a trail of smashed windows and graffiti in their wake. At one shop on Williams Street, someone threw a firework through a broken window. It exploded but did not set the shop ablaze.

Just take a look at the video showing the extensive damage done to the building: