ATLANTA — The Atlanta Police Department is taking measures to prepare for possible protests this week as the jury begins deliberations in the Derek Chauvin trial.
As the anticipation intensifies in Minneapolis for a possible verdict soon in the Derek Chauvin trial, preparations are underway in Atlanta where protesting is deeply embedded in the city’s DNA.
“We support people having the right to demonstrate. And we deal with some form of demonstration and protest in this city almost everyday,” Atlanta police chief Rodney Bryant said.
When George Floyd was killed last May, several groups in Atlanta coordinated solidarity protests. For the most part, those protests were peaceful. On May 29, the protests grew out of control with several businesses vandalized and looted, and squad cars vandalized.
The next day, the governor deployed the national guard to join police in responding to the demonstrations.
The Atlanta Police Department said plans have been in the works to improve the department’s response to large demonstrations.
“If you’re going to protest, do so peacefully. What we recognized last time is there were people who came outside of our city and they were problematic,” APD Chief Rodney Bryant said.
Community organizers Hannah Gebresillassie and Britt Jones-Chukura want APD to be better prepared for the possible protests this time around.
“This is a state of emergency. We are hurt. People are afraid,” Jones-Chukura said.
“They need to understand that we come in peace. There needs to be a conversation around protecting innocent protesters who are simply exercising their first amendment,” Gebresilassie said.
The community organizers said their frustration stems from how APD responded to demonstrators last year, including the controversial arrest of two college students who were tased at the protest. Several of the officers involved are now facing charges.
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“If you’re going to come out and say you’re going to protect this city and all of that from protesters, you make sure you protect the very citizens that you’re supposed to serve,” Jones-Chukura said.
Atlanta police said the department is prepared for any outcome.
“I would imagine there will be some outcries if the case goes in either direction, so we’re preparing for whatever may happen,” Chief Bryant said.
While the world waits for the verdict, there have been efforts in the community to remind people that it’s not George Floyd who is on trial, but Derek Chauvin.
“Citizens are not trained to work with officers. Officers are trained to work with citizens,” Jones-Chukura said.