Black people are fed up, y’all. Protests have erupted in at least 30 U.S. cities over the death of 46-year-old George Floyd, a Black man who was viciously murdered at the hands of a White police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
And while protests have largely been peaceful, some businesses are experiencing the impact of the rage that many of us have been feeling—in the form of destruction and looting. Real Housewives of Atlanta star Tanya Sam is one of the people whose business has suffered at the hands of protestors in Atlanta.
“I’m just sad,” Sam said in a video that detailed the destruction, posted to her Instagram account.
In the video, the reality star showed how rioters and looters damaged Agency Socialthèque, the restaurant and lounge she co-owns in the Buckhead section of Atlanta.
“I know ya’ll are mad, I’m mad, too,” Sam said as tears rolled down her face as she surveyed the damage of the space she said was created “for us.”
“Nobody is listening to us,” she continued.
This isn’t the first Black owned business in Buckhead that has been destroyed in the midst of protests. High-end boutique SacDelux was looted and had all of their merchandise stolen this week as well, according to photos on social media.
Atlanta celebrities have expressed their anger and frustration on what’s happening in this country, but also encouraged Black people not to take it out on the Black businesses that are supporting our communities.
The Dream, for example, took to Twitter to say, “…I OWN THINGS IN THIS CITY, A LOT OF BLACKS OWN THINGS IN THIS CITY, FROM BANKHEAD TO BUCKHEAD. DO NOT DESTROY PROPERTY THAT NEGATES THE DECADES OF WORK. MY CHILDREN WILL NOT BE SET BACK BY YOU!”
Dear People, IF YOU ARE NOT FROM ATLANTA, DONT COME HERE AND PLEASE GO HOME. I OWN THINGS IN THIS CITY, A LOT OF BLACKS OWN THINGSIN THIS CITY, FROM BANKHEAD TO BUCKHEAD. DO NOT DESTROY PROPERTY THAT NEGATES THE DECADES OF WORK. MY CHILDREN WILL NOT BE SET BACK BY YOU!
— THE-DREAM (@TheKingDream) May 30, 2020
A visibly emotional Killer Mike also spoke out about the violent protests over the weekend.
“It is your duty not to burn your own house down for anger with an enemy. It is your duty to fortify your own house so that you may be a house of refuge in times of organizations,” he said. “Now is the time to plot, plan, strategize, organize and mobilize.”
Drop everything and watch Killer Mike’s speech in Atlanta tonight.I don’t agree with him on all of his politics, but that doesn’t matter tonight.He’s 100% right about how to handle protesting and how to change the system… and it isn’t burning your city to the ground. pic.twitter.com/VzDNMTM0wH
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) May 30, 2020
“We don’t want to see Targets burning,” he continued. “We want to see the system that sets up for systemic racism burnt to the ground.”
Sam, however, expressed that she doesn’t place blame toward the protesters, but instead, shows empathy and concern for what’s happening to Black people across the country.
Fans responded to the RHOA star’s emotional post with sadness and well wishes.
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