College Football Hall of Fame damaged during protests in Atlanta

The College Football Hall of Fame was damaged late Friday night in Atlanta after peaceful protests gave way to violent outbursts, which included smashing the glass windows of the building. 

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported instances of looting at the scene before police arrived to maintain order. After some individuals threw "garbage cans and other objects" to break the glass and gain access to the building, according to the AJC, others went inside "to grab anything they could." 

A Chick-fil-A restaurant next door to the museum was also damaged, per the AJC. 

The Hall of Fame — a $68 million facility — opened in 2014 after relocating from South Bend, Indiana. 

Demonstrations took place Friday across several U.S. cities to protest racial injustice and police brutality, sparked by the death of George Floyd on Monday in Minnesota.   

Early Saturday, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency for Fulton County and activated as many as 500 Georgia National Guard troops "to protect people and property in Atlanta." 

Contributing: Joel Shannon, USA TODAY