Updated May 30th, 2020 at 08:27 IST

Atlanta protest of George Floyd death turns violent

Protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody spread around the United States on Friday, as his case renewed anger over others involving African Americans, police and race relations.

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Protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody spread around the United States on Friday, as his case renewed anger over others involving African Americans, police and race relations.

They were largely peaceful as demonstrators marched in the streets from Los Angeles to New York.

But in Atlanta, demonstrators set a police car ablaze and broke windows at CNN's headquarters.

Protesters also struck officers with bottles and broke into a restaurant in downtown Atlanta.

The demonstration started peacefully but quickly changed tone Friday evening.

Protesters used barricades to break police vehicle windshields and jumped from car to car.

Hundreds of the protesters confronted police outside CNN headquarters. They spray-painted the large, iconic CNN logo outside the building, breaking a windowed entrance.

One protester climbed on top of the sign and waved a "Black Lives Matter" flag to cheers from the crowd.

Protesters pelted officers who came over with bottles, striking some of them.

Other bottles thrown at authorities exploded behind the police line, but no officers appeared to get hit. Protesters chanted, "Quit your jobs."

The officers backed their line away from the group of protesters who were throwing objects at them.

Police ordered demonstrators to leave the street and threatened to arrest them if they did not leave quickly.

Protesters used accelerant to burn an American flag. People were watching the scene from rooftops, some laughing at skirmishes that broke out and vandalism by the protesters.

Protesters were also walking on the interstate in downtown Atlanta and appeared to be trying to block traffic.

The Georgia State Patrol has responded.

 

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Published May 30th, 2020 at 08:27 IST