Reed Prepares For Weekend Events; Threatens Legal Action Against Freaknik ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - During the Mayoral campaign, Kasim Reed said he would be a muscular mayor on crime. Today, he flexed his office's muscle to send a clear message to organizers hoping to revive Freaknik in Atlanta. Reed said the city's attorney has sent cease and desist letters to numerous promoters advertising Freaknik events this weekend.

"I don't want Freaknik or Freaknik related activities to interfere with other very important events in the city of Atlanta that have been well planned and well thought out," said Reed.

The Mayor is concerned Freaknik will result in criminal activity and overshadow other events planned for this weekend such as the Atlanta Dogwood and Film Festivals and the Sweetwater 420 Fest.

"We have an exciting weekend in front of us that reflects the excitement and cultural diversity of our wonderful city," said Reed.

Freaknik, said the Mayor, is not one of those events anymore. When it began, Freaknik was a Spring Break event in Atlanta for students attending historically black colleges and universities. Reed, who attended Washington D.C. based HBCU Howard University, remembers attending one year.

"I was around when Freaknik started and when Freaknik got out of control and it damaged the ability of city to compete for conventions for several years," said Reed.

Freaknik grew from hundreds of college students attending parties in parks to hundreds of thousands of people walking through city streets and interstates tying up traffic. Fights broke out and women were sexually assaulted. The event was seen by many in the city as nuisance and a magnate for unwanted attention. A committee formed to end Freaknik included a young Reed.

It's unclear how many people will come for Freaknik this weekend. But if it happens in Atlanta, the Mayor said he will sue organizers because the city did not issue permits for any Freaknik activities.

"Individuals who operate events that violate Atlanta's laws and ordinances are going to be prosecuted either criminally or civilly and they need to understand that in no uncertain terms," said Reed.

Organizers seem to have gotten the message. Through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, they're promoting Freaknik events outside of the city limits. Reed isn't taking chances though. All leave requests for city police officers and firefighters scheduled for this weekend have been denied. Officials don't want to be caught off guard in the event Freaknik occurs. The Mayor admits the city is sacrificing much needed funds to pay public safety officials this weekend.
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