All of the major 4th of July events that regularly happen Intown – including the Peachtree Road Race and fireworks at Centennial Park – have been postponed or cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but protests against racial and social injustice will continue on Saturday.
The Justice for Elijah McClain rally will begin at 11 a.m. at Mary Lin Elementary School, 586 Candler Park Drive. There will be a march through Little Five Points and sit-in moment of silence at Freedom Park. Masks are mandatory. McClain, 23 was arrested and died in police custody in Aurora, Colorado last August.
The March for Justice and Liberty For All will begin at 2 p .m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Historic Site and march to City Hall. Those planning to attend are asked to wear masks, bring posters, food and water items for donation but are specifically asked not to wear red, white, blue.
FXCK July 4th Rally will be held Centennial Park from noon to 2 p.m. to protest injustice and police brutality against black women and the LGBTQ+ community.
The Rally for Reparations will begin at Centennial Park starting at 7:30 p.m. and march to Cleopas R. John Park for the rally Demonstrators are asked to wear red, green, and black and bring lights. There will be entertainment, films, and guest speakers.
Protests have been happening almost daily since May 29 in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis. The shooting death of Rayshard Brooks by Atlanta police on June 12 gave the demonstrations even more energy.
To keep up with all the demonstrations, visit @WhereProtest on Twitter.
All of this just shows who the REAL racists are. And for those who want to say FXCK 4th of july, move to a country that will treat you better if you feel so oppressed. As for reparations, I don’t owe anyone anything as I have never and will never own a slave. If anyone should be protesting about being oppressed, it would be my ancestors, the NATIVE Americans. They were slaughtered. But you dont see us out there rioting. It was awful what happened to Mr. Floyd . It was terrible. However, Brooks made his bed when he turned to use (and did use but his aim was off because he was intoxicated) a weapon he TOOK from and FIRED at a policeman. The cop was well within his rights to fire back. Or are you telling me it is okay to shoot at police and try to harm them but not okay for a policeman to defend him/her self when attacked? This country is so divided right now. I doubt it will ever recover, due to a small group (small when you compare it to the other groups in this country) whose only claim is they are supposed victims. I have seen racism on both sides, but it’s going too far to disavow the National anthem by trying to force a different one to exalt only ONE race in the country where as long as you work and respect EVERYONE you are living the AMERICAN dream…not a nation for one group and a nation for another. I pledge allegiance to the flag of THE UNITED STAES OF AMERICA and to the REPUBLIC for which it stands. ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
All of this just shows who the REAL racists are. And for those who want to say FXCK 4th of july, move to a country that will treat you better if you feel so oppressed. As for reparations, I don’t owe anyone anything as I have never and will never own a slave. If anyone should be protesting about being oppressed, it would be my ancestors, the NATIVE Americans. They were slaughtered. But you dont see us out there rioting. It was awful what happened to Mr. Floyd . It was terrible. However, Brooks made his bed when he turned to use (and did use but his aim was off because he was intoxicated) a weapon he TOOK from and FIRED at a policeman. The cop was well within his rights to fire back. Or are you telling me it is okay to shoot at police and try to harm them but not okay for a policeman to defend him/her self when attacked? This country is so divided right now. I doubt it will ever recover, due to a small group (small when you compare it to the other groups in this country) whose only claim is they are supposed victims. I have seen racism on both sides, but it’s going too far to disavow the National anthem by trying to force a different one to exalt only ONE race in the country where as long as you work and respect EVERYONE you are living the AMERICAN dream…not a nation for one group and a nation for another. I pledge allegiance to the flag of THE UNITED STAES OF AMERICA and to the REPUBLIC for which it stands. ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.