The College Football Hall of Fame was damaged and looted during protests Friday night in Atlanta, police confirmed.
Demonstrations over this week’s death in police custody of George Floyd in Minneapolis have turned violent in many cities across the United States.
At the Hall of Fame, located near Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta, protesters smashed the front windows and looted the gift shop.
“Protesters continue damaging businesses, looting and setting fire to buildings,” Atlanta Police Department Sgt. John Chafee said in a statement Saturday morning. “There has been looting at the College Football Hall of Fame … and many other businesses. We are grateful for the assistance being provided by multiple local and state law enforcement partners as we work to minimize the damage being caused by these individuals and to restore order in our city.”
The College Football Hall of Fame tweeted Saturday afternoon that the artifacts and memorabilia in its museum were not affected.
“Today we began the process of picking up the pieces and repairing what was lost at the College Football Hall of Fame,” the organization posted on Twitter. “Thankfully our legendary artifacts and treasures remain, everything else we can replace. We look forward to welcoming you back soon!”
College Football Hall of Fame CEO Kimberly Beaudin said in a statement she was “heartbroken” over the damages to the facility, which opened in 2014 at a cost of $68.5 million.
“We support the peaceful protests that honor [Floyd’s] memory but unfortunately deteriorated into chaos and disorder,” Beaudin said. “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, better than this as a country.
“In the coming days and weeks, we’ll work to pick up the pieces to rebuild the sacred walls that housed memories and honored those who played the game, many of whom fought these same injustices throughout their storied careers.”
The Hall of Fame was founded in 1951. It was located in South Bend, Ind., from 1995 to 2012.
