Black Lives Matter occupied the street in front of the governor’s mansion for hours in Atlanta’s wealthiest neighborhood on Monday night.
The crowd of mostly Caucasian suburbanites and black college students yelled and called for Governor Nathan Deal to meet with them outside the mansion’s gates. But according to reports, Deal was out of the country.
At least 40 police cars and 100 uniformed police officers stood between the demonstrators and the opulent gated governor’s mansion.
The protests started at Lenox Square Mall on Monday afternoon then moved south down Peachtree Street and over to the governor’s mansion on West Paces Ferry in Buckhead.
Shutting down Peachtree. #AtlIsReady #ATLProtest Lenox Mall Buckhead pic.twitter.com/V9p4IPkCUP
— Torraine Walker (@TorraineWalker) July 12, 2016
Currently: both lanes of Lenox Road in front of Lenox Square @wsbtv #atlisready pic.twitter.com/mDyF9S81Qy
— Carl Willis (@CarlWillisWSB) July 11, 2016
Protesters moving south from Lenox now at the popular Peachtree/Roswell Rd. intersection in Buckhead. #ATLisReady pic.twitter.com/NwRIlnbUgj
— WSB-TV (@wsbtv) July 12, 2016
The officers took their orders from Atlanta’s Mayor Kasim Reed. One of his orders was to prevent kind-hearted residents from delivering food and water to the demonstrators.
“IF YOU NEED FOOD OR WATER! I am on Tuxedo Road right behind a CBS 46 news truck. #ATLisReady: IF YOU NEED FOOD OR WATER!…” tweeted a Black Lives Matter supporter.
IF YOU NEED FOOD OR WATER! I am on Tuxedo Road right behind a CBS 46 news truck. #ATLisReady
— mockingjay. (@bridgie_xoxo) July 12, 2016
A few sympathetic, well-heeled millionaires in the prestigious neighborhood flocked to Tuxedo Road with food, water and supplies for the demonstrators.
But cops blocked the protestors who tried to return with food and water for the group.
Meanwhile, the exhausted officers — some of whom were working double overtime — gorged on sandwiches and beverages provided by Chick-fil-A restaurants.
“Atlanta police officers just got Chic-fil-A dropped off to them,” a protester tweeted. “They’re not allowing food or water to be brought back in [by us, or to us by those supportive].”
Others called for Black Lives Matter to boycott Chick-fil-A for feeding their oppressors (the police).
Police arrested some protesters who refused to follow orders to get out of the road.
After hours of chanting peacefully outside the mansion, Mayor Reed agreed to the group’s demands to meet with them.
A 2-hour meeting is scheduled for next week, where Reed will hear the activists’ demands.
All protesters were released as of 8 a.m. Tuesday.
police blocked food & water from coming in. threatening arrest #ATLisReady pic.twitter.com/6oroDKasO6
— Aurielle Marie (@Ellevation_) July 12, 2016
be mindful of these businesses you support, especially at a time like this. #ATLisReady #blacklivesmatter pic.twitter.com/61jSZn6EOi
— yng, gifted, & blk ? (@thetrillgent) July 12, 2016
Can't believe @ChickfilA let the protesters starve while they gave out food to cops tonight. #ATLisReady
— Occhio Black (@YuNG_FLYGUY) July 12, 2016
Meanwhile, white supremacists on Twitter.com mocked the starving activists by tweeting pictures of food.
'Sup, li'l #ATLisReady nuggets? pic.twitter.com/W5ES6RIqny
— SFK (@stephenkruiser) July 12, 2016
You #ATLisReady badasses were feeling pretty saucy tonight, weren't you? pic.twitter.com/JGNDbvMHwz
— SFK (@stephenkruiser) July 12, 2016
@Ellevation_ you know the police don't need to feed you too, right?
— Righty G (@TheRealMeelum) July 12, 2016
@TheRealMeelum @Ellevation_ you need to hush, sir ?
— Lindsey Allen (@scuba_andthesea) July 12, 2016
@scuba_andthesea @Ellevation_ isn't that the point in your cause? To not hush? Madam. Or only for your cause?
— Righty G (@TheRealMeelum) July 12, 2016
@Ellevation_ praying for you guys to get needed resources inside! We might just need to form a protest outside & break through their mess ?
— Lindsey Allen (@scuba_andthesea) July 12, 2016
@Ellevation_ all the more reason to boycott Chick fil a frfr
— pilotjones (@_itsmanitho) July 12, 2016
@_itsmanitho @Ellevation_ Yeah right I know you can't resist fried chicken.
— Popsickle Piece (@P_Dubbin) July 12, 2016
@Ellevation_ This just made my night! You inconvenience everyone else by blocking a road. Then you complain when you are inconvenienced.
— Planned Havoc (@planned_havoc) July 12, 2016
@Ellevation_ BOYCOTT CHICK FILET
— BoyleHeights??Bernie (@basurtopatty3) July 12, 2016
@Ellevation_ Be part of the solution. Atlanta PD is hiring. If you were an officer, you would be eating chicken. Protesters don't eat free.
— Schraz8 (@Schraz8) July 12, 2016
We are so proud of the people. We simply aided in supporting their efforts. Don't forget @ATLisReady ! #ATLisReady https://t.co/uaR0Z8nK1H
— Official BLM Atlanta (@BLMAtlanta) July 12, 2016