A Peyton Manning exhibit at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Mike Strange/Shopper News

College Football Hall of Fame damaged, looted during Atlanta protests

Protests and looting have broken out across the country in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and now a piece of history has been impacted.

The College Football Hall of Fame has been looted and damaged amid protests in Atlanta Friday night. 

According to reports, protesters smashed windows and looted the Hall of Fame gift shop, but it's unclear if any of the sport's most notable memorabilia, which is located in the museum, has been damaged or stolen.

In 2014 the Hall of Fame moved from South Bend, Ind., to a brand new $68.5 million facility in Atlanta. Hall of Fame CEO Kimberly Beaudin is very upset about the damage to the facility, and noted something many probably didn't realize — many players inducted in the Hall of Fame fought through the same injustices that people are fighting against today.

"We support the peaceful protests that honor (Floyd's) memory but unfortunately deteriorated into chaos and disorder," Beaudin said, according to ESPN's Mark Schlabach. "We are heartbroken to see the damage to our city and the Hall of Fame. As our Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said, we are better than this, better than this as a city, better than this as a country.

"In the coming days and weeks, we'll work to pick up the pieces to rebuild the sacred walls that housed memories and honored those who played the game, many of whom fought these same injustices throughout their storied careers."

Floyd, an African-American man, died Monday after being restrained by a white police officer for alleged forgery. Caught on video, the officer put immense pressure on Floyd's neck with his knee as he laid on the ground fighting for his life. The video surfaced showing Floyd begging for his life and telling the officer he couldn't breathe. 

Floyd, 46, was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

The officer who knelt on Floyd's neck, Derek Chauvin, was arrested Friday and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

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