In the wake of the murder of George Floyd, protests have erupted across the country. Overnight, those protests hit the home for college football history.
A peaceful protest in Atlanta Friday turned violent later in the night as many numerous businesses in the city were vandalized and looted. According to myriad media outlets, one of those that suffered damage was the College Football Hall of Fame.
Fortunately, one of the reports stated, “none of the artifacts or history memorabilia was damaged... just the glass in front of the store.” One report, though, described the hall as being “destroyed.”
The College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta is unrecognizable... It’s 1 of many buildings that’ve been destroyed by protestors #atlantaprotest #JusticeForGeorge #CBS46 pic.twitter.com/0T9rZimQxo
— Emily Gagnon (@Emily_Gagnon) May 30, 2020
A very tough night for downtown Atlanta. This is the College Football Hall of Fame. #AtlantaProtest pic.twitter.com/K7vt95n8lV
— Blayne Alexander (@ReporterBlayne) May 30, 2020
Damage to the College Football Hall Of Fame pic.twitter.com/NbV0oY91t9
— Eric Stirgus (@EScoopStirgus) May 30, 2020
“First and foremost, our hearts go out to the friends and family of George Floyd,” College Football Hall of Fame CEO Kimberly Beaudin said in a statement. “We support the peaceful protests that honor his memory but unfortunately they deteriorated into chaos and disorder. We are heartbroken to see the damage to our city and the Hall of Fame. As our Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said, we are better than this, better than this as a city, and better than this as a country.
“In the coming days and weeks, we’ll work to pick up the pieces, to build back the sacred walls that housed memories and honored those who played the game many of whom fought these same injustices throughout their storied careers.”