ATLANTA (WXIA) -- Dozens of Atlanta protesters arrested the night of the Ferguson grand jury decision appeared before an Atlanta city Judge on Wednesday.
Many of the demonstrators say their protests were peaceful and that they don't understand why they were arrested.
There were more volunteer lawyers than demonstrators in an Atlanta courtroom on Wednesday. The lawyers say they are supporting the demonstrators and have come together in solidarity.
Thirty Atlanta area lawyers came together to represent the dozens of demonstrators arrested the night the Ferguson grand jury decision was handed down.
Most charges against the Atlanta demonstrators were for disorderly conduct or obstruction of a walkway. But lawyers say Atlanta Police were the ones out of line.
"We don't believe they behaved as well as a professional police law enforcement should," said one of the attorneys, Muwali Davis. "A lot of these young people were just walking down the street."
"The injuries I sustained are still pretty visible," said protester Corey Tool. "I most recently just got my tooth fixed."
It was supposed to be a night of peaceful protests, but a rock was thrown through a window at Meehans' Restaurant. The Interstate 75/85 Downtown Connector was shut down when protesters crossed the freeway.
Judge Herman Sloan reset 15 of the protesters' court dates and dropped charges against several of the demonstrators because of an officer's mistake.
Michael Gartley was one of those whose charges were dropped.
"It's a gray area," Gartley said. "And I felt that I was doing what was right at the time."
11Alive News attempted to contact Atlanta Police about Wednesday's hearing, but did not receive a response.
Those demonstrators whose dates were re-set will have their next court date on January 21.
