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Residents gather at city hall to protest termination of city attorney

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

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Rev. Ben Little speaks to a crowd Wednesday to protest "injustice and corruption" within Anniston government (Photo: M. Dean Smith)

A group of about a dozen Anniston residents gathered at city hall Wednesday morning to protest the recent termination of City Attorney Cleo Thomas. Rev. Ben Little led the gathering and spoke to a crowd that grew to about 20 supporters and onlookers on a Gurnee Ave. sidewalk. Little and others publicly spoke about the necessity of ridding city government of corruption, citing a number of lawsuits filed against current and former city officials.

City Manager Don Hoyt notified Thomas in an email last week that his services as city attorney would no longer be needed, saying that “folks want massive changes at the top.” Ralph Bradford addressed the crowd and said he is concerned about a lack of diversity within city government. “When you look at our city hall you see very few African Americans here working, period,” Bradford said. Many in the crowd believe that racism played into the decision to relieve Thomas of his responsibilities as City Attorney.

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Supporters of former City Attorney Cleo Thomas hold signs condemning the decision City Manager Don Hoyt made to remove Thomas from his position (Photo: M. Smith)

Statements by Little were echoed by others in attendance who held signs praising Thomas’s service and calling for Hoyt to be removed from office. “Fire Mr. Hoyt now,” Little said. Other facets of city government were criticized for lack of diversity, including the police and fire departments. “This is a Rosa Parks moment for this community,” he said. “We cannot sit down.”

City Manager Don Hoyt declined to comment and referred reporters to the email he sent to Thomas and the city council. Hoyt said in the Feb. 11 letter that change at the highest levels of city government was made apparent by voters who elected an entirely new city council in 2012.

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Keywords: Ben Little City Attorney Cleo Thomas Manager Don Hoyt termination racism protest Gurnee Ave

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