Athens Mayor Kelly Girtz was called out by angry Georgia residents who called him a “liar” over his statements about the death of nursing student Laken Riley on the campus of the University of Georgia
Girtz spoke at a news conference Wednesday, nearly a week after Jose Antonio Ibarra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, allegedly attacked and killed Riley. But the Democratic mayor was interrupted by residents in attendance who felt he was on fire with his remarks about connecting illegal immigration to Riley's death and that Athems is not a sanctuary city, although it appears the opposite
Girtz even found a way to disparage former President Donald Trump as someone who spoke “in the vilest terms” about illegal migrants.
INLINE: Athens Mayor Georgia Kelly Girtz says Laken Riley's death is 'not related' to illegal immigration and points finger at Trump for being 'painful' to illegals.
Your country is controlled by morons.
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 we're going to work for every day, 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 yelled. “You are the guilty one and you are responsible for this murder, sir!”
Athens Mayor Girtz (D) just tried to deflect blame for Laken Riley's death
Angry residents were having none of it: pic.twitter.com/V6uXFqQAh6
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 28, 2024
Community members erupt at Athens mayor's press conference announcing Laken Riley's death. They demand the resignation of the mayor. @FOX5Atlanta pic.twitter.com/aVEZaZwn3y
— Eric Perry (@Ericperrytv) February 28, 2024
Signs reading “Blood on your hands” and “Make Athens safe again” were carried by others at the press conference.
“I caution against conflating immigration and crime. The data shows that the two are not connected,” the Democrat said as he was repeatedly asked by the audience.
Mayor of Athens, Ga., in the wake of the first murder at UGA in 30 years. Listed threats: Trump, Charlottesville, possible vitriol from US citizens to illegal immigrants. Not on the list: crime, murderers, his duty to the citizens. He is the joke of the norm. A crazy, blinkered response. pic.twitter.com/tGtyWXpPzc
— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) February 28, 2024
“There has been no legislation from this government that has created sanctuary city status,” Girtz insisted.
Kelly Girtz (D), the mayor of Athens, Georgia, where Laken Riley was killed in an illegal attempt to deflect and shift the blame.
People didn't have it!
“You're a liar! You've got blood on your hands!” pic.twitter.com/84118yr4YL
— Libs from 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 people and families of all states 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 had an ICE compliance policy. That changed after activist backlash and pressure from Mayor Girtz and current DA Deborah Gonzalez.
“Every immigrant is a friend,” Gonzalez said at the 2018 Open Borders rally: pic.twitter.com/jnfdfIx9dg
— Kelly Loeffler (@KLoeffler) February 28, 2024
4/ Meanwhile, Athens Sheriff John Williams campaigned on REFUSAL to cooperate with ICE detainers.
“We will not contribute to this 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 his charging decisions “would take into account collateral consequences for undocumented immigrants.”
No surprise from someone who wants to ABOLISH ICE: pic.twitter.com/G5Iw8iEyOj
— Kelly Loeffler (@KLoeffler) February 28, 2024
“While it is the federal government's job to secure our borders, state law enforcement must hold local officials accountable when they break the law. Our cities cannot be safe havens for violent, illegal aliens at the cost of of law-abiding citizens,” Loeffler wrote.
“Like Biden and Harris, many of these officials will be on the ballot in November, and like our incompetent federal officials, voters must vote them out,” he concluded.
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