Today (10/26) Occupy Atlanta will hold a press conference at 11am on the sidewalk of City Hall. After a meeting between Occupy Atlanta and a group of clergy was arranged for Thursday at noon at the mayor’s request, the Atlanta Police Department went ahead with what was apparently a planned raid on Occupy Atlanta Tuesday night. Arrests were made with no resistance, and included Joe Beasley, Derrick Boazman, and State Sen. Vincent Fort. All of those arrested will go before a judge at 8 am. There will be a march to the jail from the park starting at 7:20am. From the jail we will assemble at the Atlanta Municipal Court. Occupy Atlanta will continue to peacefully protest with an anti-war march today at 5 pm.
Statement:
The evidence shows that despite the fact that Mayor Reed claimed that he was sending clergy to speak with Occupy Atlanta in order to find a “peaceful solution,” the outcome was already predetermined. Representatives from the group of clergy arrived at the park and requested a meeting for 5 pm. That time was not available because of a planned march which was posted in the schedule on Occupy Atlanta’s website. Participants in Occupy Atlanta and the representatives of the group of clergy agreed on a meeting time of Thursday at noon at Big Bethel AME Church. However, Atlanta police did not wait for this meeting to take place.
We reiterate that the mayor has misrepresented our peaceful protest. There was no violence on Saturday. The Atlanta Hip Hop Day festival promoters had a permit which was pulled by the city at the last minute. The mayor has misrepresented both Occupy Atlanta and the facts at every possible turn. Nor did he appear to have the full confidence of the clergy sent to negotiate with Occupy Atlanta; Rev. Darrell D. Elligan commented “We heard the mayor, but just because we heard the mayor doesn’t mean we believe the mayor.”
