The front of CNN Center in Atlanta was the scene of violent protests on Friday evening that resulted in damage to the front of the building and inside.
The protests had started as peaceful earlier in the afternoon when crowds gathered in the city’s famed Centennial Park. The protests were in response to the death of George Floyd, who was killed on May 25 in Minneapolis.
At around 6 p.m. ET, protesters began moving toward the front of the CNN Center, where police had gathered. Over the next few hours, the crowd swelled as SWAT was called in to help with crowd control.
By about 7 p.m. ET, protesters could be seen damaging CNN Center in downtown Atlanta, which is sandwiched between Philips Arena and Centennial Park.
Protesters were seen vandalizing CNN’s logo outside its offices, breaking the building’s glass and entering the center. Protesters were also heard chanting anti-media rhetoric.
Around 7:40 p.m., protesters could be seen destroying Atlanta Police Department vehicles parked in front of CNN.
Protesters entered the CNN Center and destroyed the interior of the building at about 9 p.m. ET. One man was seen breaking glass inside the center with a skateboard.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, during a news conference Friday night, spoke directly to the protesters: “You have defaced the CNN building. Ted Turner started CNN in Atlanta, 40 years ago because he believed in who we are as a city.”
The protests in Atlanta capped off a complicated day for the network.
A CNN crew was arrested while giving a live report Friday morning in Minneapolis as they covered ongoing protests. The journalists were released roughly an hour later.
