One week before the World Cup final, FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended a funeral in Qatar, while Donald Trump visited his Virginia golf club.
On the same day, The Guardian reported that Atlanta city employees had cleared a homeless encampment at Freedom Park, less than a mile from a World Cup fan zone.
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Workers removed tents, personal ID, medication, and other belongings without warning.
A city official called the sweep "routine park maintenance," noting that Freedom Park was not an official encampment.
Mayor's Policy and a Tragic Death
Mayor Andre Dickens has been clear about the city's stance: "We want to make sure those unsheltered individuals don't come anywhere near downtown and throughout the city of Atlanta, not just during the World Cup but now."
The city's Downtown Rising plan aims to remove homeless camps before the tournament. It claims to have housed 500 people, but critics point to heavy-handed actions.
In January last year, Cornelius Taylor was crushed to death by a five-tonne bulldozer while sleeping in his tent during a street clearance.
His fiancée later described finding blood and body parts among his possessions. The incident led to promises of new protocols.
Displacement and Uncertainty
A care worker at the Centre for Health and Rehabilitation near Freedom Park noted a drop in homeless numbers during the World Cup but had no idea where they were taken.
"I haven't seen evidence of what has occurred, but we do know the people are gone. So where did they go?"
