Atlanta Black Lives Matter launches #NotOneMoreDime boycott, protests

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The Atlanta chapter of Black Lives Matter has announced they will boycott major retailers in response to the police shooting deaths of Keith Lamont Scott in Charlotte, Tyre King in Columbus, Ohio and Terence Crutcher in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Organizers have planned two silent protests Saturday in Atlanta as part of the effort.

A Black Lives Matter protest got off to a slow start at the Lenox Square MARTA Station Saturday afternoon. Protesters then moved to one entrance to Lenox Square and blocked traffic there.

About 25 people dressed in all black gathered at the corner of Lenox Road and East Paces Ferry Road surrounding a huge Black Lives Matter sign. Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta organized the protest. Local president Sir Major said the group chose Lenox Square to demonstrate because the retail outlet attracts thousands of shoppers on the weekends.

The small group did not appear to disrupt shopping significantly at the popular mall. Security officers at Lenox Square questioned individuals and turned away those with protest materials from entering the private mall. The security guards were turning protestors away around 3:00 p.m. By 3:30 p.m., the numbers swelled to about 50 protestors. Some made signs and others passed out waters. Soon after that, the group of demonstrators blocked one of the entrances for traffic headed to the mall.

According to a press release from the Black Lives Matter Greater Atlanta Inc., protestors are expected to gather at the Peachtree Center MARTA station at 7:00 p.m Saturday.  Protestors gathered in front of the Hard Rock Cafe on Saturday evening.  Many of the protestors chanted "Hands up, don't shoot."

Organizers said they are boycotting big businesses, including Lenox Mall and Peachtree Center, in a stand against police brutality in America.

The group, under the banner #NotOneMoreDime, has launched an economic boycott to urge consumers to avoid spending money at shopping malls and other major retailers.

The say corporate America’s silence on the issue is an “endorsement to the violence” against black people.

“Each silent protest will have duct tape on their mouth with keywords such as "Freddie Gray" "Black Lives Matter" "White Privilege" "AllLivesMatter?" "White Silence" etc.,” read the statement.