Groups of young people hold peaceful protests in North Fulton County

NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — In the wake of the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota and other crimes targeting African-Americans, many across the Metro area have organized peaceful protests to push for social justice.

In Alpharetta, Colin Gwyn and his younger brother, Tyler, stood on the corner of Milton Avenue and S. Main Street with several dozen others of all races and backgrounds, holding signs that read “Black Lives Matter” as cars drove by and honked in support.

“We’re out here to change people’s minds, to get awareness spread across and the most peaceful way we can is exercising our First Amendment right to freedom of speech,” said Colin, who organized the event for the second day in a row.

“All lives matter and no lives can matter until Black Lives Matter,” he said.

Gwyn, who is white, says he feels it’s even more important for people of different backgrounds to band together of this issue.

[GBI: Intelligence shows out-of-state organizations came to create problems during Atlanta protests]

“Just because it doesn’t directly involve you doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t feel it,” he said. Everyone should feel it. We’re all human beings, all the same race.”

Sophia Stoyios said she wanted to show her support.

“As a white person I know that I’m privileged and it’s my responsibility to help those that do not have that privilege and make a difference,” she said.

Osby Dixon, Jr., who is African-American, said he grew up in Alpharetta and wanted to be with the protesters to bring awareness to the issues his community is facing.

“Just that stigma of being pulled over and being black, it’s very real,” he said. “It’s good to see the support we’ve been getting. It’s crazy.”

At a rally in Dunwoody Tuesday, dozens of people lined the streets outside of the city’s government offices, and the city’s police chief even joined them.

“It felt good to show everybody that Dunwoody isn’t a city that’s going to be OK with hate,” said Lauren Menis, who chairs the organization Atlanta Initiative Against Anti-Semitism.

She said she and her organization wanted to show support.

“I don’t know what it’s like to be black in America, to be targeted because of the color of my skin, to have to talk to my children about worrying when they go out if the police pull them over or if they’re jogging and someone doesn’t like that,” she said. “What I can do, what my group can do, is stand in solidarity, is be an ally and really just listen and learn.”

Group of officers join in with peaceful protests in Carroll County Police actually had a hand in organizing the event.

© 2020 Cox Media Group