Athens Mayor Kelly Girtz was shouted down by angry Georgia residents who called him a “liar” over his remarks on the death of nursing student Laken Riley on the University of Georgia campus.
Girtz spoke at a press conference Wednesday, nearly one week after Jose Antonio Ibarra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, allegedly attacked and murdered Riley. But the Democrat mayor was interrupted by residents in attendance who felt he was gaslighting with his remarks about the connection of illegal immigration to the death of Riley and that Athems is not a sanctuary city, despite appearances to the contrary.
Girtz even found a way to disparage former President Donald Trump as someone who spoke “in the most vile terms” about illegal migrants.
JUST IN: Mayor of Athens, Georgia Kelly Girtz says the death of Laken Riley is “not connected” to illegal immigration and points the finger at Trump for being ‘mean’ to illegals.
Your country is controlled by m*rons.
Riley was killed by an illegal immigrant but Girtz is… pic.twitter.com/IrZRvPEnLs
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 28, 2024
“The only appropriate number of murders in this community, the number that we are gonna be working our tails off every day for, is zero,” Girtz said Wednesday at Athens-Clarke County Police Department Headquarters.
As he tried to address the sanctuary city debate, he was interrupted.
“You’re a liar,” one man shouted. “You’re the one who is guilty and got blood on your hands for this murder, sir!”
Athens Mayor Girtz (D) just tried to shift away blame over Laken Riley’s death
Angry residents were NOT having any of it: pic.twitter.com/V6uXFqQAh6
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 28, 2024
Tempers flare from community members at a press conference by the Mayor of Athens giving an update to the death of Laken Riley. They are calling for the Mayor to resign. @FOX5Atlanta pic.twitter.com/aVEZaZwn3y
— Eric Perry (@Ericperrytv) February 28, 2024
Signs that read “Blood on your hands” and “Make Athens safe again” were held by others at the press conference.
“I caution against conflating immigration and crime. The data demonstrates that the two are not connected,” the Democrat said as he was continually heckled by attendees.
Mayor of Athens, Ga. in the wake of the first murder at UGA in 30 yrs. Listed threats: Trump, Charlottesville, possible vitriol from American citizens to illegal immigrants. Not listed: Crime, murderers, his duty to citizens. He is the Norm joke. A blinkered, insane response. pic.twitter.com/tGtyWXpPzc
— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) February 28, 2024
“There’s been no legislation from this government that’s created sanctuary city status,” Girtz insisted.
Kelly Girtz (D), the Mayor of Athens, Georgia where Laken Riley was m*rdered by an illegal tried deflecting and shifting the blame.
The people weren’t having it!
“You’re a liar! You have blood on your hands!” pic.twitter.com/84118yr4YL
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 28, 2024
But former Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) strongly disagreed, taking to social media to share a thread and bring the “receipts.”
2/ In 2019, the Athens City Council passed a resolution “to foster a community where individuals and families of all statuses feel safe,” so that “all people, including those WITHOUT documentation, feel welcome and comfortable.”
Hear it from Mayor Girtz himself: pic.twitter.com/ugqzHhcN9D
— Kelly Loeffler (@KLoeffler) February 28, 2024
3/ Prior to 2019, Athens actually had a policy of compliance with ICE. That changed after backlash from activists and pressure from Mayor Girtz & now-District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez.
“Every immigrant is a friend,” Gonzalez said at 2018 open-borders rally: pic.twitter.com/jnfdfIx9dg
— Kelly Loeffler (@KLoeffler) February 28, 2024
4/ Meanwhile, Athens Sheriff John Williams campaigned on REFUSING to cooperate with ICE detainers.
“We won’t be contributing to that culture of fear,” he promised in 2020: pic.twitter.com/enuEy6a7gp
— Kelly Loeffler (@KLoeffler) February 28, 2024
5/ Upon taking office in 2021, DA Gonzalez said her charging decisions would “take into account collateral consequences to undocumented immigrants.”
No surprise from someone who wants to ABOLISH ICE: pic.twitter.com/G5Iw8iEyOj
— Kelly Loeffler (@KLoeffler) February 28, 2024
“While it’s the federal government’s job to secure our borders, state law enforcement must hold local officials accountable when they violate the law. Our cities cannot be safe havens for violent, illegal aliens at the expense of law-abiding citizens,” Loeffler wrote.
“Like Biden & Harris, many of these officials will be on the ballot in Nov. – and like our incompetent federal officials, voters must vote them out,” she concluded.
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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