Suspects arrested following a riot in downtown Atlanta have been charged with multiple misdemeanors and felonies, including domestic terrorism, according to police.
The Atlanta Police Department (APD) released the names of six suspects who were apprehended during the riot in the city on Saturday evening. Only one of the suspects was from Georgia.
Nadja Geier, 24, from Nashville Tennesee, Madeleine Feola, 22, from Spokane, Washington, Ivan Ferguson, 23, from Nevada, Graham Evatt, 20, from Decatur, Georgia, Francis Carrol, 22, from Kennebunkport, Maine and Emily Murphy, 37, from Grosse Isle, Michigan, were all charged in connection with the riot.
Atlanta police told Newsweek all the suspects face charges for domestic terrorism, second-degree criminal damage, first-degree arson, and interference with government property—all felonies.
They also face various misdemeanor charges.
The rioting drew condemnation from Republicans who branded those involved in the violence as left-wing terrorists.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) shared a Saturday Twitter post showing a video of the riot and added: “The Antifa/ BLM (Black Lives Matter) insurrection has been going on for years now.”
Police did not tell Newsweek whether the protests were linked to a particular left-wing organization.
Atlanta police chief Darin Schierbaum said that a protest on Saturday began peacefully but turned violent as a group in the crowd started to smash windows and attack police.
Schierbaum said the incident was quickly brought under control and that no police officers or bystanders were injured. Three businesses had their windows damaged.
He added: “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist or an attorney to tell you that breaking windows or setting fires is not protesting, that is terrorism.”
After police stopped the riot, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens (D) said: “Atlanta is safe and our police officers have resolved disruptions downtown from earlier in the evening.
“The city of Atlanta and the Atlanta Police Department will continue to protect the right to peaceful protest. We will not tolerate violence or property destruction.
“I want to thank Atlanta’s police officers, firefighters, 911 personnel, EMS, our law enforcement partners, and everyone else who keep our city safe.”
Demonstrators gathered in Atlanta following the death of Manuel Esteban Paez Teran, 26, a protestor who was killed by Georgia State Troopers, according to Fox 5.
The troopers had been at Intrenchment Creek Park on Wednesday, a planned site for the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, a location critics have named “Cop City.”
On December 14, five people were charged with terrorism charges at the location of the future training center.