Thousands of protesters across metro Atlanta turned out for Saturday’s No Kings demonstrations against the policies and actions of the Trump administration.
Downtown Atlanta
A large contingent of protesters marched from the Memorial Drive Greenway to the State Capitol in Downtown Atlanta. Sen. Raphael Warnock was one of the speakers at the rally, and encouraged those gathered to “stand up for our democracy.”
Rosario Palacios, executive director of Common Cause Georgia, said during a speech: “The street we’re about to walk down, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, was Hunter Street. In 1968, King’s funeral procession came down that very street. And in 1962, we saw hundreds of students protest segregation on the Capitol grounds. Years later, thousands retraced Dr. King’s route to the Capitol to honor his life and work. So when you March today, you’re not making history out of thin air. You are walking down concrete of courage that has already marked the success of what today’s event is relaunching for some of you, and starting for many others.”
Decatur
In Decatur, people gathered on both sides of Clairmont Road on Saturday morning, across from the VA Hospital and Clairmont Lake complex, as part of the nationwide protests.
By 10:45 a.m., around 200 people had already arrived. More people were walking down the street or out of nearby parking lots with signs to join the crowd gathered on the sidewalk along Clairmont.
People held signs that read Dump Trump, Save the CDC, Fascism has arrived, and No Kings/No War.
Chants and cow bells erupted from the crowd as passing cars honked in solidarity with the protestors.
Virginia-Highland
Around 11:30 a.m. in the heart of Virginia-Highland, a large and growing crowd of hundreds had gathered. One of the few in-town neighborhood protests organized for Saturday’s No Kings rallies, people lined the sidewalks from the corner of Virginia Avenue down North Highland toward Drewry Street.
Several signs touted anti-war messages or stood in solidarity with the CDC, public health, and immigrants.
Typically a busy intersection in the neighborhood, people driving by the protestors slowed down to honk in support.
Dunwoody
At the corner of Chamblee Dunwoody and Mt. Vernon Road, about 75 people gathered to show their support for the “No Kings” effort.
Cobb Parkway/Cumberland Mall
At 12:15 p.m. along Cobb Parkway just inside the perimeter, south of the Battery Atlanta, more than 100 people lined the southbound sidewalk in front of Cumberland Mall for the No Kings protests organized for Saturday around metro Atlanta.
Considered a purple county in metro Atlanta with near equivalent numbers of Republican and Democrat voters, many signs in the crowd sported messages like No War/No ICE/No Kings and Honk for Democracy.
A busy six-lane thoroughfare in southern Cobb, cars passing by honked in support of those gathered for the protest.
One sign with the face of Jesus on it stated: It’s not about left or right, it’s about moral or immoral. Another sign read: Flip us off if you love high gas prices, wars, and pedophiles.
This is a developing story. Check back for more photos and updates.