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South Fulton egg hunt spoiled over missing permit
When the South Fulton police shut down the mayor's egg hunt, volunteers are participants were left shocked -- some offended. Officers say the mayor didn't obtain the permit necessary to throw the event.
SOUTH FULTON, Ga. - There's controversy in South Fulton tonight after police shut down an event put on by the mayor because they say he didn't have a permit.
Volunteers and participants of the egg hunt event were shocked to hear it was shut down Saturday.
"It's only right to do something and give back to your community and to not be able to give back to my own community where I was raised at, I feel like that's very wrong," volunteer Edward Brewer said.
FOX 5 spoke with South Fulton Mayor Khalid Kamau who says the event is a tradition in the community. He believes this is about more than just the permit.
"Because of the petty politics of our city, our children are suffering our taxpayers are suffering and it has to stop," Kamau said.
Kamau believes the shutdown is a move of retaliation from members of the city and the chief of police.
"The first issue was they weren't going to give us a permit because we didn't have the right paperwork. We filled out three sets of paperwork," Kamau said. "Then, they weren't going to give us a permit because South Fulton police said that they didn't have any police officers available to work this event today. Clearly, they have police officers that are available to shut down the event, but they didn't have police officers that were available to work the event."
South Fulton Police Chief Keith Meadows sent FOX 5 a statement. An excerpt of that statement reads:
"Prior to the event the Mayor was asked to go through the permitting process, which he did not. The city of South Fulton Police shut down the event and cited the vendor for having an un-permitted event."
Representatives with the City of South Fulton doubled-down. An excerpt of their statement reads:
"The safety of South Fulton residents is a top priority for the city and all events must follow the necessary procedures before being approved. The city is committed to ensuring that all events in South Fulton are safe and enjoyable for everyone."
Kamau says they had members of the Clayton County Sheriff's Office on hand to work the event, and it was being put on at no cost to the city.
"This is a tragic story of how the politics of the petty has stopped an event for children," Kamau explained.
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