Protests over George Floyd's death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, have spread to other parts of the country. Riots broke out at media giant CNN's headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. The protests which started with sloganeering soon got out of control with police officers attacked, cars destroyed and the headquarters defaced.
Protests first erupted after a video of Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, being killed by police officers in Minneapolis, appeared. Four officers were captured attacking Floyd, with one identified as Chauvin, kneeling on Floyd's neck while he gasped for breath. Floyd later died, leading to widespread protests in the country.
CNN's Atlanta Headquarters Attacked

On Thursday, protesters, carrying banners that read "A Good Cop is Dead Cop", "All cops are B**t**ds" and "Stop Lynching", gathered outside CNN's headquarters in Atlanta. As the protesters' ranks swelled, SWAT units, that use military equipment and tactics in law enforcement, were called in. They were greeted by water bottles and other objects.
Took this from the crowd maybe 20 minutes ago; protests outside @CNN Center pic.twitter.com/k0x8FczwSW
— Fernando Alfonso III (@fernalfonso) May 29, 2020
More from the crowd earlier this afternoon pic.twitter.com/XEjXe6Zu2c
— Fernando Alfonso III (@fernalfonso) May 29, 2020
SWAT units approaching protesters outside the @cnn center pic.twitter.com/BAtBiIp0ss
— Fernando Alfonso III (@fernalfonso) May 29, 2020
Crowd of protesters getting larger outside CNN Center as more SWAT units approach pic.twitter.com/Q6PRd2BYzi
— Fernando Alfonso III (@fernalfonso) May 29, 2020
Water bottles and other objects getting thrown at SWAT units after they approached protesters in front of the CNN Center pic.twitter.com/VzvrwKwozy
— Fernando Alfonso III (@fernalfonso) May 29, 2020
Despite the huge presence of law enforcement units, CNN's logo was painted with graffiti. The glass of the main entrance was then broken, drawing jubilation from the crowd. SWAT units were called in to prevent further destruction.
CNN logo defaced in Atlanta following growing protests outside its headquarters pic.twitter.com/8i8TmumD5B
— Fernando Alfonso III (@fernalfonso) May 29, 2020
CNN logo being painted with Graffiti and curse words by “protestors†in #Atlanta pic.twitter.com/mva5dDKRRh
— Michaelâš“ï¸Allen KAGâœï¸ðŸ‡ºðŸ‡¸ (@mike9wood) May 30, 2020
More images from the CNN Center in downtown Atlanta, from photographer Ben Gray pic.twitter.com/7s8ItQuRYM
— Jennifer Brett (@Jennifer__Brett) May 29, 2020
Flag burning outside the CNN Center, the company's headquarters in Atlanta; more and more protesters chanting, yelling pic.twitter.com/1b94LFisZA
— Fernando Alfonso III (@fernalfonso) May 29, 2020
Glass getting broken outside the main entrance to CNN's Atlanta headquarters; protesters cheer pic.twitter.com/EToiEj5Pom
— Fernando Alfonso III (@fernalfonso) May 29, 2020
SWAT approaches CNN's Atlanta headquarters after protesters broke some of building's glass pic.twitter.com/95YJva8miQ
— Fernando Alfonso III (@fernalfonso) May 29, 2020
The protesters then moved towards the police vehicles, broke their glasses using flagpoles, banners and other objects. At least one police car was set on fire. They chanted "F**k CNN" as police intervened to disperse the crowd.
Police cars getting literally destroyed in Atlanta outside the CNN Center pic.twitter.com/x5zRxZVQpb
— Fernando Alfonso III (@fernalfonso) May 29, 2020
Thousands of protesters are in downtown Atlanta protesting #JusticeForGeorge.
— Kaabi (@alkaabimi) May 30, 2020
A police car has been set on fire in front of the CNN center.
More than 12 American cities are having major protests.
pic.twitter.com/Esgf3haOsF
Protesters getting dispersed by police as the destruction if police cars outside the CNN Center continues pic.twitter.com/CoRwbKY7jj
— Fernando Alfonso III (@fernalfonso) May 29, 2020
Phone died, biked home as chants of "Fuck CNN" from protesters grew from across the street from the CNN Center, its Atlanta headquarters. Here's the last video I took. pic.twitter.com/qQzG5QL4R7
— Fernando Alfonso III (@fernalfonso) May 30, 2020
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, @fernalfonso reports. https://t.co/Bv61f1cY2B pic.twitter.com/p3mpXmLRpJ
— Amir Vera (@TheAmirVera) May 30, 2020
They attacked CNN's office, despite police being present inside the building. In one such incident, a man smashed glass panes of the office, despite guns pointed at him. At one point in the rampage, the police were attacked with a firecracker inside the CNN building.
The white dude with the skateboard is on a mission. Weapons pointed at him and he don’t give a DAMN! #AtlantaRiot #Atlanta CNN HQ pic.twitter.com/SFkqVZmpjC
— Kisha (@HonnyDipp) May 30, 2020
The last moments of @CNNValencia's live shot from the entrance of the CNN Center in Atlanta before he moved to another location. pic.twitter.com/B7ZlYyt6xz
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) May 30, 2020
According to a statement by the Atlanta police spokesman Carlos Campos, the protesters threw BB guns, bottles, bricks and even knives at the police, leaving at least three officers injured, the New York Post reported.