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TIMELINE: How peaceful protests turned violent Friday night in Atlanta

ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News started our breaking news coverage on Channel 2 Action News at 4 p.m, covering what started as a peaceful protest.

We had several reporters on the ground at the State Capitol, CNN Center and throughout the night as the story developed.

We want to walk you through how this all developed Friday night.

Friday afternoon 3 p.m.

Protesters gather in Centennial Olympic Park to honor the memory of George Floyd. The activists march peacefully to the Capitol and then back to the park, chanting “I can’t breathe.”

Protesters walk outside the CNN Center when an an official city cars tried to get through. The crowd stops the car and a standoff starts between officers and people in the crowd.

Friday afternoon 5:30 p.m.

A standoff between a group of protesters and a line of officers starts getting tense. Armored vehicles arrive at the scene.

Protests becoming tense as confrontations begin between protesters and police in downtown Atlanta. LIVE coverage RIGHT NOW on Channel 2: https://2wsb.tv/2RVZwO5

Posted by WSB-TV on Friday, May 29, 2020

Friday night 6:45 p.m.

Police tell protesters to get out of the streets or face arrest. Many refuse.

Friday night 7 p.m.

Protesters start to deface the CNN sign, throw things at police and smash windows.

#BREAKING: Protesters have climbed on top of the CNN letters outside the CNN Center and have started defacing it: https://2wsb.tv/2UgdlGu

Posted by WSB-TV on Friday, May 29, 2020

Friday night 8 p.m.

People start jumping on police cars outside of the CNN center and set one on fire. Some people smash through the windows of seafood restaurant McCormick and Schmick’s and take alcohol.

Friday night 8:30 p.m.

Police with bean bag guns climb on top of armored vehicles as they move into the crowd.

Friday night 9:00 p.m.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Police Chief Erika Shields, Bernice King and Atlanta rappers T.I. and Killer Mike address the protesters from city hall.

A furious Bottoms tells protesters that this is not what Atlanta is all about and demands that people go home.

“This is not the legacy of civil rights in Atlanta,” Bottoms said. “This is chaos, and we’re buying into it.”

Killer Mike makes an emotional plea to protesters to not destroy their own city.

“It is your duty to not burn your own house down for anger with an enemy,” the rapper says.

READ: “We have to be better than this moment." Atlanta rapper, advocate Killer Mike delivers powerful message

Friday night 10:00 p.m.

Channel 2 reporters spot at least two more car fires near the Embassy Suites hotel.

Friday night 11:30 p.m.

Crowds start to disperse as police open canisters of some type of irritant or tear gas.

Protesters mov to Buckhead and start looting an AT&T store across from Lenox Mall. Channel 2′s Carol Sbarge arrived at the store where she found the front door had been smashed out and police had surrounded the business.

Saturday morning at 12:03 a.m.

Looters target Target stores in Buckhead and in the Lindbergh area.

Saturday morning at 12:10 a.m.

Gov. Brian Kemp declares a State of Emergency in Fulton County and activates 500 National Guardsmen.

Saturday morning at 12:17 a.m.

Looters set their sights on the Waffle House across from Centennial Olympic Park after initially passing it over.

Saturday morning at 12:55 a.m.

Firefighters respond to a fire at Del Frisco’s Grille across from Lenox Square.

Saturday morning at 2:30 a.m.

Looters continue to hit AT&T stores across the city.

Saturday morning at 5:33 a.m.

National Guard troops stand guard in front of the CNN center.


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