Protesters demand end to homeless sweeps after bulldozer kills man

After a tragic incident involving a bulldozer running over a homeless man’s tent, protesters in Atlanta are calling for an end to the city's homeless encampment sweeps.

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN/WSB)- Protesters in Atlanta are demanding an immediate end to the city’s controversial sweeps of homeless camps, following the tragic death of 49-year-old Cornelius Taylor. They say the incident occurred on January 16th when a bulldozer, part of the city’s homeless encampment clearing operation, ran over Taylor’s tent with him inside, killing him.

The protesters, including Taylor’s family and advocates for the unhoused, are calling for significant policy changes to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

The Tragic Incident

Taylor was living in a tent near Ebenezer Baptist Church when city workers arrived to clear the homeless camp. According to his friend, Gus Hendricks, city workers gave people just four minutes to gather their belongings before bulldozing the area. Hendricks claims that the workers did not check any of the tents before beginning the sweep, which led to the fatal accident.

“I was told they had four minutes,” Hendricks said, describing the moment just before Taylor’s tent was bulldozed. “They didn’t check the tents. They just started clearing the area.”

Taylor’s death has sparked outrage among advocates for the homeless, who say the city’s actions were reckless and contributed directly to the tragedy. Derrick Boazman, a community activist, blamed the incident on the failure of city policies that govern homeless encampment sweeps. “Cornelius Taylor died because of the failure of city policy,” Boazman said during the protest.

Protesters Demand Change

On January 23rd, a group of protesters gathered outside City Hall, calling for an immediate end to the sweeps. Holding signs and chanting, they voiced their anger over the incident and demanded justice for Taylor. The protesters argued that policies allowing the bulldozing of homeless camps without proper precautions put people’s lives at risk and further harm the vulnerable population.

“There won’t be a next one if we stop the sweeps,” said Darlene Chaney, a protester who attended the demonstration. The group then marched to City Hall, where they hoped to deliver a letter to Mayor Andre Dickens calling for policy reforms. However, they were turned away by city officials who told them the building was closed to them.

Taylor’s Family Calls for Justice

Taylor’s mother, Lois Taylor, spoke at the protest, expressing her deep sorrow and frustration over her son’s death. “Justice is the main thing,” she said tearfully. Taylor’s family is not only grieving the loss of a loved one but also fighting to ensure that other families do not experience similar heartache.

The rally’s message was clear: stop the sweeps. The protesters believe that halting the practice will prevent future fatalities and ensure more humane treatment of the homeless population in Atlanta.

City’s Response

A spokesperson for Mayor Andre Dickens’ office confirmed that there was a scheduled meeting with advocates. However, the meeting was canceled. According to the mayor’s office, Mayor Dickens was not at City Hall when the advocates attempted to meet with him.