Everyone Is Confused By Viral Video Showing ‘Kids’ Deployed In George Floyd Protests
"This is honestly weird. There’s literally like a 12-year-old out here."
Protests over the death of George Floyd have now spread all over America. Viral video from Atlanta caused controversy with many people thinking that National Guard members in it looked like children.
America is into a fourth day of protests after the death of George Floyd, with clashes between protestors and law enforcement now breaking out in many cities across the country. There is an almost unending stream of video being posted to social media of the protests, with one video in particular going viral. It shows footage seemingly from outside a mall in Atlanta where there had been nearby reports of looting. Posted to Twitter by user @foxwoundband, the video shows the camera trailing over three or four young-looking people in National Guard uniforms. The person filming can be heard saying “This is honestly weird. There’s literally like a 12-year-old out here. I don’t know what the f*ck y’all got running.”
Atlanta has deployed a child militia at Lenox Mall fitted with riot shields and batons. What the actual fuck is going on? pic.twitter.com/zTtmw5mDTN
— Fox Wound (@foxwoundband) May 30, 2020
The video immediately caused widespread speculation, with some people debating if the video is even real or current.
This Atlanta child soldier thing has to be from something else, or staged…something. This can’t be real. If so I think I may have to officially divorce 2020.
— Tracey (@traceycreate) May 30, 2020
Many people were convinced by the footage, believing the people to look underage.
We need to involve Georgia Child Protective Services (@GADFCSOPFS) if the parents put them out there, and Human Rights Watch (@hrw) if the state of Georgia put those children out there.
— Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa🌹 (@CDRosa) May 30, 2020
I like how they just threw their kids on the front line to fight on their behalf then drove away like it was fucking soccer practice
— Amanda Flagg 🦈 (@AmandaFlagg) May 30, 2020
After the video went viral Atlanta Police Department’s PR Office told Heavy the people in the video were all legit adults, with active service members between 18 to 63. The Georgia National Guard said in a statement that “The rumors of us having child Soldiers to assist local law enforcement in protecting lives and property is false.”