Will the World Cup Fuel Arrests of Homeless People in Atlanta?

Article excerpt

As Atlanta prepares to host World Cup matches, homeless advocates warn the city may repeat patterns from the 1996 Olympics, when hundreds of unhoused people were arrested and displaced ahead of the games. The city has a documented history of "Olympic cleanup" operations that criminalized homelessness rather than addressing it. Advocates are now calling on Atlanta officials to commit to alternatives, housing support, service expansion, and policies that don't treat visible poverty as an embarrassment to scrub away before the international spotlight arrives. The tension reflects a broader conflict: cities hosting major events often see enforcement against homeless populations spike, sometimes dramatically.