Gubernatorial candidate Michael Williams was expected to arrive at the Epps Bridge Cracker Barrel at 4 p.m. yesterday as part of his “deportation bus tour.”
In a video for the bus tour, Williams said that his deportation plan to deputize police officers as Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents would “fill this bus with illegals to send them back to where they came from.” The rear door of the bus read “DANGER! MURDERERS, RAPISTS, KIDNAPPERS, CHILD MOLESTORS (sic), AND OTHER CRIMINALS ON BOARD.”
Williams and his bus never showed however. Instead, a crowd of protesters gathered along Epps Bridge Parkway, at times erupting into chants or songs. It took about a dozen people to hold a long banner that read “no human is illegal.”
Beto Mendoza, a member of Dignidad Immigrante en Athens, led the crowd in chants and songs.
“The idea is to bring people together and show love and use a different approach to hate.”
Four people with “Williams for Governor” signs were also present at the event, but left as it became increasingly obvious that Williams was not showing.
Michael Williams blamed his absence on the work of protesters who had showed up at a stop in his tour in Decatur earlier in the day.
Dekalb County Police were called to the bus’ location on North Decatur Road in Atlanta after receiving an anonymous 911 call that protesters were “getting violent” and wouldn’t allow the bus to leave. Police officers who arrived on the scene say they found no evidence of violence or criminal activity.
Williams and his deportation bus is expected to visit West Georgia today, but according to a post made on his twitter account, the bus is experiencing mechanical trouble.
