Georgia Gov. Kemp To Agitators: 'You Are In The Wrong State'

ATLANTA, GA — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issued a warning ahead of Thursday’s court appearance for the men charged in connection with Ahmaud Arbery’s death, in a news briefing that covered both protesters and pandemic.

“We will not tolerate disruptive or dangerous behavior, including criminal conduct, and we will put the safety of our citizens first,” Kemp said Tuesday from the state’s operations center, with monitors behind him showing protests in Atlanta.

“If those people that are unruly out there think that we will lay down and we will quit,” Kemp said, “you are in the wrong state.”

Georgia will do “whatever is necessary to keep the peace,” Kemp said, adding: “I still have hope that we can emerge from this stronger than ever before and more united than ever before.”

A preliminary hearing in Brunswick is scheduled Thursday for the three white men charged in connection with the death of Ahmaud Arbery, a black man who was killed Feb. 23 while jogging. Charges against the trio that came three months later stoked nationwide anger. Then, the death on May 25 of George Floyd in Minneapolis while in police custody set off dozens of demonstrations, some violent.

Kemp said he understood why protesters were angry and that he’d talked with organizers where possible. He said the connection had been "helpful."

When asked by a reporter if he knew where the agitators were from, Kemp declined to be specific. However, GBI Director Vic Reynolds said his intelligence unit was tracking leads on social media.

“Based on the information and intelligence we have, there are individuals here from various groups around the country, a lot of which are bent primarily on destruction and violence,” Reynolds said.

The news conference also touched on how the demonstrations might fuel spread of the coronavirus. Dr. Kathleen Toomey, head of the Georgia Department of Public Health, advised protesters and first responders who might have been exposed to get tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible.

“This situation is no different than any other situation we have talked about,” Toomey said. “When you have this many people gathered together in close proximity, you run the risk of viral transmission.”

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