2 days ago
‘No Kings' organizers working with law enforcement in hopes of peaceful protest on Saturday
Organizers are planning more than a dozen protests all across metro Atlanta on Saturday as part of the nationwide 'No Kings' demonstrations against President Donald Trump and his policies.
Law enforcement said they are prepared.
More than 5,000 people are expected to crowd into Liberty Plaza on Saturday morning as part of the demonstration.
Laura Judge of Indivisible North Metro Atlanta is one of the organizers.
'Just seeing some of the things that he does, we wanted to take a stance and say that we don't have kings in America,' she said.
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She told Channel 2's Richard Elliot that they've actually been working with state and local law enforcement to make sure everything goes off peacefully.
'Because we have gotten the other permits and we're working with Atlanta police as well as Capitol police, we do want to respect and show that First Amendment rights look different to everyone,' Judge said.
Elliot also spoke with Georgia State Patrol Commander Col. Bill Hitchens, who confirmed the organizers have been working with them to make sure everything goes off without any problems
'It's one of the core tenets of our country that people have a right to protest and say their issues or disagreements with the government as long as it's peaceful and doesn't cross certain lines,' Hitchens said.
But State Attorney General Chris Carr warns that if outside agitators come in and spark violence, his office will prosecute under the state's domestic terrorism statute.
'I will defend your right to peacefully protest, but again, if you are going to go after, light buildings on fire, or shoot police officers, or loot buildings, nope, we're not going to stand for it,' Carr said.
The big protest at Liberty Plaza is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. Saturday.
