(PHOTOS) Demonstrators in Stone Mountain demand removal of Confederate monuments
Erica Breig holds a sign up in front of the Confederate Memorial Carving at Stone Mountain Park during a peaceful demonstration and march in Stone Mountain, Ga., June 16. Photo by Dean Hesse.
By Dean Hesse, contributor
Stone Mountain, GA — Around 100 protestors on June 16 marched from the city of Stone Mountain, Ga., to the Confederate Memorial Carving in Stone Mountain Park to advocate for the removal of Confederate monuments.
Lead organizer Quintavious Rhodes told the crowd, “These monuments they bring a lot of pain to people. I am promoting peace, no violence. We all know that what happened with Rayshard Brooks was unjustified, so let’s not forget that not only are we marching to have these monuments removed but we are also marching for them. We are marching to be their voice, their eyes, their ears, because if they could they would be right here with us. We know police brutality is a big problem in the U.S. so that’s another thing we’re out here speaking on. It’s not just the monuments, so please we’re going to do this right. we’re doing this for Rayshard (Brooks), we’re doing this for Breonna (Taylor), we’re doing this for George (Floyd) and every single person who has lost their life to either public racism, police racism, police brutality, Black on Black crime, white on Black crime. We’re doing this for them because they can’t be here.”
Mary Jane Pennington and Deeds Davis hold signs during a peaceful demonstration and march in Stone Mountain, Ga., June 16. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Protestors gather beneath the Confederate Memorial Carving in Stone Mountain Park during a peaceful demonstration and march in Stone Mountain, Ga., June 16. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Erica Breig holds a sign up in front of the Confederate Memorial Carving at Stone Mountain Park during a peaceful demonstration and march in Stone Mountain, Ga., June 16. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Lead organizer Quintavious Rhodes points to the Confederate Memorial Carving at Stone Mountain Park as he talks about the need to remove it and other memorials to the Confederacy during a peaceful protest in Stone Mountain, Ga., June 16. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Around 100 protestors marched from the city of Stone Mountain, Ga., to the Confederate Memorial Carving in Stone Mountain Park June 16. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Around 100 protestors enter Stone Mountain Park as the make their way to the Confederate Memorial Carving during a peaceful march June 16. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Around 100 protestors make their way down Robert. E Lee Boulevard in Stone Mountain Park as the make their way to the Confederate Memorial Carving during a peaceful march June 16. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Around 100 protestors marched from the city of Stone Mountain, Ga., to the Confederate Memorial Carving in Stone Mountain Park June 16. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Around 100 protestors marched from the city of Stone Mountain, Ga., to the Confederate Memorial Carving in Stone Mountain Park June 16. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Around 100 protestors marched from the city of Stone Mountain, Ga., to the Confederate Memorial Carving in Stone Mountain Park June 16. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Around 100 protestors marched from the city of Stone Mountain, Georgia, to the Confederate Memorial Carving in Stone Mountain Park June 16. Photo by Dean Hesse.
NAACP Atlanta president Richard Rose speaks to protestors assembled for a march from the city of Stone Mountain, Ga., to the Confederate Memorial Carving in Stone Mountain Park June 16. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Emily Phillips holds a sign up during a march from the city of Stone Mountain to the Confederate Memorial Carving in Stone Mountain Park June 16. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Around 100 protestors gathered in the city of Stone Mountain, Ga., for a march to the Confederate Memorial Carving in Stone Mountain Park June 16. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Protestors assembled for a march from the city of Stone Mountain, Ga., to the Confederate Memorial Carving in Stone Mountain Park raise a fist while a man who identified himself as Brother Russell speaks May 16. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Tiffani Hill holds a sign she made for a march from the city of Stone Mountain, Ga., to the Confederate Memorial Carving in Stone Mountain Park June 16. Photo by Dean Hesse.
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