Thousands marched from the Richard B. Russell Federal Building to the State Capitol in the March on Georgia organized by the Georgia NAACP. Coinciding with the reconvening of the General Assembly, which cancelled the session due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the march was in support of repealing the “Citizens Arrest” law, which has been on the books since 1863 and designed to recapture emancipated slaves; repealing the “Stand Your Ground” law; and improving Georgia’s elections.
The Atlanta Police Department arrested 42 people over the weekend in connection with protests against the officer-involved shooting of Rayshard Brooks outside a Wendy’s restaurant on University Avenue on June 12. APD made 36 arrests on Saturday night, the same evening hundreds of protesters blocked traffic on the Downtown Connector and the Wendy’s was set ablaze. On Sunday night, protesters fanned out across the city, including University Avenue, outside the police precinct in Grant Park and on Capitol Avenue, Hank Aaron Drive in the Summerhill neighborhood.
The Atlanta City Council will hold a public listening session on the Fiscal Year 2021 proposed budget Tuesday, June 16, from 10 a.m. to noon. The listening session will be held remotely and provide Atlanta residents, business leaders and other stakeholders an opportunity to provide public comment about the City of Atlanta’s proposed budget. Public comment about the budget can be submitted through voicemail up to one hour before the start of the meeting. The public may leave comment by dialing (404) 330-6090 and leaving a message not to exceed two minutes. The public can access and listen to the session using the conference bridge by dialing (877) 499-2930 and entering ID number 3995242 or 4237466. The meeting will also be simulcast on the Council’s website, YouTube channel, Facebook and Twitter pages, and on Channel 26.
The landmark ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court protecting LGBTQ workers against job discrimination has a metro Atlanta connection. Doraville resident Gerald Bostock was a lead plaintiffs in the case after being fired from his job in Clayton County because he is gay. According to the AJC, Bostock asked the court to find that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects millions of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people across the country from discrimination in the workplace.
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