Protesters gather near CNN Atlanta debate site

“Everything that’s happening in Gaza and the West Bank is horrible,” said House candidate Gabriel Sanchez, a democratic socialist who ousted Democratic incumbent Rep. Teri Anulewicz in last month’s primary. “We have to do everything we can to stop this.”

ExploreHow CNN Prepared for the Atlanta Presidential Debate

Credits: Vanessa McCray

Credit: Vanessa McCray

Meanwhile, a giant mouse waved to traffic and other protesters while advocating for an end to animal testing, just blocks from the presidential debate Thursday night.

“Cut the NIH’s $22 billion budget, not the mice,” said the furry activist (a person dressed as a mouse).

While all eyes were on Atlanta for the first presidential debate of the election campaign, activists took the opportunity to come together to support the cause they defend. Many indicated they did not support either candidate and that at least two groups were fighting each other.

At one point, anti-abortion protesters and a pro-Palestinian group shouted at each other and fought for space, eventually being stopped by police.

Opponents of the planned public safety training center in Atlanta and the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas were among the groups that announced plans to protest ahead of the CNN debate. The channel, formerly located in downtown Atlanta, is now housed on the Techwood campus in Midtown, and there was no live audience during the debate.

Credit: Julian Zhu

Although their topics varied, the groups seemed united in their lack of enthusiasm for any of the candidates taking the stage tonight.

“A lot of us went to Atlanta and no matter how many people showed up to say they want this war to stop, they want a permanent ceasefire in Palestine, the president is not really moving on that,” said Kelsea Bond, co-chair of the Atlanta chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. “We don’t think Trump would be any better than him, which is why we’re protesting both of them.”

At the Home Park rally, protesters gathered around a giant papier-mâché sculpture depicting Trump and Biden as a Siamese monster.

“Both Trump and Biden support the ongoing genocide in Palestine and so we do not support, we reject both candidates,” said a man with a megaphone.

As night fell, the group chanted: “ATL, you will see, Palestine will be free.”

At one rally site, a Decatur resident named Geoff, who did not give his last name, addressed the AJC while holding a “Veterans for Peace” flag. Geoff said he served in the Navy for 24 years and traditionally voted Democratic, but was frustrated by “endless war.”

“America, where is your heart? Biden, where is your heart? » he asked.

Geoff said he had participated in several protests against the war between Israel and Hamas and hoped to spread a message of peace.

“I would like to see a foreign policy that doesn’t drag us into one war after another,” Geoff said. “I hope we make a difference.”