ATLANTA — The Atlanta Police Department is releasing body camera video from the April 25 protests that happened on Emory University's campus.
APD said it assisted the Emory Police Department at its request when a "group of protesters refused multiple requests" to disperse peacefully. Wednesday night, APD released eight clips from that day, totaling roughly six hours of footage. In a statement, it said APD only detained people who weren't compliant with the order.
Footage initially shows officers starting to clear out the protest encampment, asking them to move. The protesters, arms linked, begin to move back.
Atlanta Police previously told 11Alive they did fire their pepper bullets. Audio from the footage indicates that officers did not fire those bullets directly at the protesters but rather at the ground, with one shouting, "Do not target any individuals, target the ground to disperse."
In another clip reviewed, APD said one of the people detained claimed that an officer had a knee on someone's neck at the scene.
"Additional footage was then reviewed to locate the encounter he was referring to," APD said. "APD commanders were notified of the incident and conducted a review of the body worn camera footage, showing the incident."
A person in the video yells, "Why is his knee on her neck?" The clip provided that 11Alive watched -- which has different angles of the encounter -- appears to show an officer's knee on her shoulder and back.
"The video does not show anyone placing a knee on her neck," APD said. "Once restrained, officers immediately sat the arrestee up, found no indications she was injured and placed her with the rest of the arrestees."
Video 11Alive reviewed showed officers arriving onto campus around 10:20 that morning and begin forming a line in a move to clear protesters. Video shows officers repeatedly commanding the protesters to clear out.
"Let's go, let's go!" one officer commands. "You need to move, let's go."
The officers warned protesters that if they did not clear out of the quad, they would deploy more pepper balls and make arrests.
Meanwhile, multiple views of the body camera video show protesters chanting, for officers to let the protesters go and others chants including "Free! Free Palestine!" One woman can be heard demanding for officers to "put your guns away!"
11Alive compiled the videos, with some editing for strong language and time, into the playlist below to add additional context into the response by police.
The day that the demonstrations broke out, officials said about 28 people were detained. As previously reported, one professor at the university was among those arrested. The massive crowd gathered as students and community members protested over the war in Gaza. Students set up a protest encampment in support of Palestinians, with the school describing it in a statement as a "trespass." University officials soon rallied in heavy law enforcement descending on the campus quad, leading to the clash between the protesters and law enforcement.
"We prioritize the safety and well-being of our college communities in and around the Atlanta area," APD said in Wednesday's statement. "There are times when educational institutions seek assistance from APD, and we remain dedicated to supporting them within the bounds of the law and their university policies. In addition, Mayor Dickens is looking to convene with presidents of institutions of higher learning in Atlanta to develop ways to create dialogue for pathways forward."