Box 19, Folder 7, Document 22

Box 19, Folder 7, Document 22

STATEMENT BY IVAN ALLEN, JR.
MAYOR OF ATLANTA

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On Civil Disorder in Atlanta, Tuesday, September 6, 1966

The disorders in the Summerhill neighborhood in Southeast
Atlanta last evening were the result of a deliberate attempt by certain

members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (Snick) to

We can be thankful there were no serious injuries. Some 10

police officers received minor injuries, mostly as a result of tear gas.

Assessment of property damage has not been completed, but

it does not appear to be too severe,

Five City police cars were damaged as a result of bricks or

bottles thrown through windows.
Seventy-two arrests were made by the Police Department.

Conditions at this time indicate that the violence has ended and

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1 exists throughout the area.

The Atlanta Police Department is now working two twelve-hour

shifts until further notification by Chief Jenkins,

All off-duty firemen have been placed on alert.

The firemen on duty during the night responded promptly and

efficiently to several calls in the area.

The spark of violence ignited by a few reckless and irresponsible
individuals touched off an explosion of civil disorder that shattered Atlanta's

long record of racial amity.


Page 2

I must again commend the members of the Atlanta Police
Deparime

nt for their prompt response and handling of this situation.

Peto
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citizens of Atlanta, and especially the good citizens of Summerhill-

Iam not talking from hearsay when I say that every citizen of

Atlanta owes a

debt of wholehearted gratitude to our dedicated police

olricers, ior l

was personally in the thick of the disturbance throughout

ightful hours of mob hysteria.

No one need make charges to me about police brutality during

this disorder, I saw plenty of brutality, but it was being used against the

police officers, not by them.

t

1

om what Iheard with my own ears and saw with my own eyes

of this melee, I feel certain that hundreds of normally good

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s were inflamed/‘out of their normal senses. They were victimized

by those who sought to incite violence.

We sincerely appreciate the action of Governor Carl Sanders

4. at *
and the Georgi

a Department of Public Safety for the backup men and

equipment provided to us.

It is a tragedy that a few irresponsible and misdirected youths

have such utter disregard and contempt for their fellow man that they

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he lives and property of innocent citizens in serious jeopardy.