The city of Atlanta, which could host the AFC championship game next weekend, became the scene of a violent Antifa insurrection on Saturday in which people threw bricks at buildings and set vehicles on fire. police.
The NFL plans to play its AFC title game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta next weekend if the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs qualify for the game.
The Chiefs are now ready to play in the AFC Championship Game after defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-20 on Saturday. The Bills play the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday and would face Kansas City in Atlanta if they beat the Bengals.
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Smashed windows at a Wells Fargo branch are seen after a protest, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023, in Atlanta, following the death of an environmental activist killed after authorities said the 26-year-old man shot a state trooper.
(AP Photo/Alex Slitz)
If the Bengals win, the AFC Championship Game would be in Kansas City.
The NFL announced Friday that it has sold more than 50,000 tickets for the game if it is in downtown Atlanta.
That potentially means NFL fans from both cities would be in a city where just hours ago rioters took to the streets not far from Mercedes-Benz Stadium and clashed with police.
The NFL did not immediately respond to an email from OutKick requesting information on how it views Saturday’s events and whether they could put the AFC Championship Game in Atlanta at risk.
Burning police cars in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, January 21.
(Billy Heath/Fox 5)
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There have been protests and protests by some people in Atlanta following the shooting death of activist Manuel Esteban Páez Terán on Wednesday. Teran, 26, was killed by police after he allegedly fired a gun at state troopers at the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.
Hundreds of people marched in what at first appeared to be a peaceful protest on Saturday.
But that march soon got out of control, according to police.
«However, when that group reached the intersection of Ellis Street and Peachtree Street, a group within the marching crowd decided to start committing illegal acts, such as breaking windows and attacking police patrol cars that were in the area.» Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said. .
The chief said that some of those people were actors who had participated in other protests in the past.
The Chief said the protesters turned into rioters when they began breaking windows and attacking police cars.
Police responded with what reports said were six arrests.
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Police block downtown streets following a protest, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023, in Atlanta, following the death of an environmental activist killed after authorities said the 26-year-old shot a state trooper. .
(AP Photo/Alex Slitz)
“As long as the state continues to respect peaceful protests, acts of violence against people or property will not be tolerated. Those who commit such illegal acts will be fully arrested and prosecuted,” Governor Brian Kemp said Saturday.