Fuming residents angrily confronted Democrat Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz over his defense of immigration policies and downplaying the connection with the murder of Laken Riley.
Girtz defended Athens from critics at a press conference this week, who described it as a so-called “sanctuary city.”
According to Girtz, it is not true despite the city passing a resolution in 2019 welcoming all people, including illegal migrants, to live in the U.S., making the city a de facto sanctuary city.
However, Girtz’s defense causes angry outbursts from residents.
“Liar!” multiple residents yelled.
The Blaze reported:
Other residents suggested that Girtz’s denials were insulting their intelligence, while others demanded his resignation. Residents also claimed that Girtz shared responsibility for Riley’s death and even shouted at him, “You’re fired!”‘
At one point, Girtz warned people “against conflating immigration and crime.” That assertion led to more outbursts from angry residents.
Watch
Kelly Girtz (D), the Mayor of Athens, Georgia where Laken Riley was m*rdered by an illegal tried deflecting and shifting the blame.
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 28, 2024
The people weren’t having it!
“You’re a liar! You have blood on your hands!” pic.twitter.com/84118yr4YL
Later at the conference, a media member asked Girtz about the 2019 resolution.
“I want to say that we center our work here in Athens-Clarke County on people’s humanity, and part of everybody’s humanity is the expectation of human dignity,” Girtz said
“While 2019 was not that long ago, you might remember the dynamic we were living in in the late teens in this country, where you had the president of the United States speak in the most vile terms about people who were foreign-born, and you had that notion metastasizing —” he added.
“Oh, please stop it! This is an invasion!” one man screamed.
“You are lawless, mayor!”
Girtz defended the resolution, arguing it was necessary because the political environment was fomenting a culture of white supremacy and xenophobia.
One reporter asked Girtz how he could justify numerous undocumented immigrants living in the same apartment as Jose Ibarra, the Venezuelan immigrant charged with Riley’s murder.
“We are deeply sorry for this tragedy. Responsibility for this crime rests solely on the perpetrator,” Girtz responded.
Watch
Kelly Girtz (D), the Mayor of Athens, Georgia where Laken Riley was m*rdered by an illegal tried deflecting and shifting the blame.
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 28, 2024
The people weren’t having it!
“You’re a liar! You have blood on your hands!” pic.twitter.com/84118yr4YL
READ: Trump Issues Warning of Major Terrorist Attack from Border
