A Grosse Ile woman is among six people arrested Saturday night following a riot in downtown Atlanta.
Emily Murphy, 37, has been charged with four felonies and four misdemeanors after allegedly attending a protest that turned violent.
The five others arrested have also been similarly charged. Georgia law enforcement officials pointed out that only one of the six suspects is from the state of Georgia.
The others arrested are Nadja Geier, 24, of Nashville, Tennessee; Madeleine Feola, 22, of Spokane, Wash.; Ivan Ferguson, 22, from Nevada; Graham Evatt, 20, of Decatur, Georgia; and Francis Carroll, 22, of Kennebunkport, Maine.
According to the Atlanta Police Department, the felonies Murphy faces are second-degree assault, first-degree arson, trespassing on government property, and domestic terrorism.
She was also charged with the following offences: pedestrian in the roadway, willful obstruction of a police officer, riot and unlawful assembly.
At least three shops were targeted on Peachtree Street, with rioters throwing bricks and stones that shattered their windows. Rioters also targeted two police cars and set one on fire. It was reported that some of those arrested were found with explosives.
It is believed that the original reason for the protest had to do with protesters’ opposition to a proposed police training facility in Atlanta. They were also protesting the death of an activist who opposed the training center.
In a press conference following the arrests, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said the city was safe and order was quickly restored. Dickens stated that law enforcement officials would continue to respect citizens’ right to peacefully protest, but this incident went well beyond that.
“They meant damage to people and property,” the mayor said. “My message to those who try to continue this type of criminal behavior: we will find you, we will arrest you and you will be held accountable.”
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schlerbaum echoed the mayor’s words, saying that First Amendment rights will continue to be protected in the city, but such things will not be tolerated.
“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist or a lawyer to tell you that breaking windows or setting fires isn’t protest, that’s terrorism,” Schlerbaum said at the press conference.
According to media reports, shop windows along the affected area on Peachtree Street remain boarded up.
However, Atlanta police said the riots were limited to just two blocks before they were stopped.
At the federal level, both the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the FBI are part of the ongoing investigation into this incident.
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