Atlanta stands ready to safely host college football’s biggest game and other major events Monday, city officials said, even amid heightened security concerns following the deadly terror attack in New Orleans.
Tens of thousands of people will descend on downtown Atlanta for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day march and the College Football Playoff championship game between Ohio State and Notre Dame at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. And in Washington, it’s Inauguration Day for President-elect Donald Trump.
The events come just three weeks after a New Year’s Day rampage in the French Quarter that prompted the FBI and Department of Homeland Security to issue a warning about the threat of possible copycat attacks.
On Tuesday, Atlanta police Chief Darin Schierbaum asked one thing of the public and visiting fans, even in the days leading up to the game: “If you see something, say something.”
“If a vehicle, an individual, (or) a package does not look right, call 911. Flag down one of the individuals in uniform that you will see around,” the chief said, during a news conference at the stadium alongside Mayor Andre Dickens and other city leaders.
Residents should also make a report if they see concerning online posts, he said.
Schierbaum said the downtown area will be filled with hundreds of officers, some of whom handled the Peach Drop, Peach Bowl, events surrounding Jimmy Carter’s funeral and the recent winter storm. Officers will be assisted by Georgia State Patrol troopers along with investigators and agents from the FBI and DHS, the chief said.
Atlanta law enforcement agencies plan to shut down some bike lanes and roads, fortify streets with barriers and assign tactical teams to respond to any disturbances throughout the city.
The FBI and DHS said earlier this week they were concerned about “possible copycat or retaliatory” attacks after a man drove a pickup truck into Bourbon Street crowds, killing 14 and injuring dozens more. The suspect was killed in a shootout with police hours before the Sugar Bowl, authorities said. Many Georgia football fans were visiting New Orleans to watch the Bulldogs play Notre Dame, a game that was ultimately postponed for a day.
Federal authorities warned about the “persistent appeal of vehicle ramming as a tactic for aspiring violent extremist attackers.” Though Atlanta was not referenced in that alert, Schierbaum said police have studied previous attacks and how they could be replicated here.
“It’s not just New Orleans,” he said. “We look at terror attacks around the globe and where terrorists try to harm we do our very best to make sure we stand in that gap for the citizens.”
The FBI noted that potential attackers could try to conceal explosive devices and said that possible targets include pedestrians, law enforcement or military members, and crowded venues, which are generally accessible from roads.
Schierbaum said Atlanta police are in daily communication with federal officials. Officials added that the city has been preparing for months in anticipation of a jam-packed weekend that could draw an estimated 100,000 visitors.
Police also got some practice last summer.
On June 27, about 70,000 people were at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to watch USA play in a Copa America 2024 soccer match. On that same day, more people gathered nearby in Midtown for the Trump and Biden presidential debate.
Atlanta also previously hosted the college football national championship game in 2018, when 12,500 calls were made to the E-911 center over that weekend, according to Executive Director Desiree Arnold. She asked that the public only use 911 on Monday for life-and-death emergencies.
With no major attack in Atlanta since the Centennial Olympic Park bombing in 1996, Atlanta police spokesperson Chata Spikes said other law enforcement agencies look to the city for safety guidance. Still, the department asked the public to stay vigilant, even days before the game. That’s because the New Orleans suspect likely recorded video of the area as he prepared his attack, officials said.
“We have to be right 100% of the time,” Schierbaum said. “Bad guys, they just need to be lucky one time.”
Specialized fire and emergency crews will be strategically placed throughout the city to get to places quickly and help those in need, said fire Chief Rod Smith. Roads will close from noon to 4 p.m. for the MLK Day march, starting at Peachtree Street at Baker Street and ending at Ebenezer Baptist Church, said Deputy Police Chief Charles Hampton.
“That parade route will be fortified with large vehicles as well as human resources and some vehicle barriers placed strategically,” he said.
Intermittent road closings will also take place throughout the day near the stadium and the downtown entertainment district.
“Use MARTA. Use MARTA. Use MARTA,” urged Solomon Caviness, the city’s Department of Transportation commissioner.
Dickens said Atlanta will be the only city to host the college football title game twice.
“With that honor comes the responsibility of keeping our residents and visitors safe and the responsibility to keep city operations running as smooth as possible,” he said.
— Staff writer Taylor Croft contributed to this article.
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