Tag: Cop city
Before there was “Stop Cop City,” there was “Stop the Road”
Last week, five people were arrested for chaining themselves to construction equipment as part of protests against the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, dubbed "Cop City" by critics. It’s a long tradition in environmental activism: for many decades, protesters have been lashing themselves to equipment to stop construction projects—including right here in Atlanta. Back in the 1980s, decades before "Stop Cop City," there was "Stop the Road," when thousands of Atlantans came together to block the Presidential Parkway. Leading the fight were the Roadbusters, a ragtag group of activists whose protest stunts, like climbing trees and chaining themselves to construction equipment, made headlines across the city.
What (or who) is behind the rise of RICO?
What do Atlanta Public Schools teachers, “Cop City” forest defenders, the rappers Young Thug and Gunna, and former president Donald Trump have in common? All have been—or may be—prosecuted under Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, aka RICO.
“The birds stopped singing”: Inside the battle for Atlanta’s South River Forest
Over the centuries, the South River Forest has been many things: Indigenous land, a prison farm, a dumping ground—and the keystone of an ambitious proposal to incorporate nature into Atlanta’s growth. But in 2021, people living nearby were surprised to learn that the city had different plans for it: a massive new police training facility.
A rally at the DeKalb County courthouse condemns domestic terrorism charges for “Stop Cop City” protestors
For many in attendance, it was a fitting way to spend Martin Luther King Jr. Day. “They arrested Dr. King 29 times—29 times!” Kamau Franklin told a crowd of around 70 protestors assembled in front of the DeKalb County courthouse, many of them part of a loose coalition of activist groups, environmentalists, and concerned citizens united against a planned 85-acre, $90 million Atlanta police and firefighter training facility in the South River Forest.
The land slated to become the controversial “Cop City” training center has already lived many lives
The Old Atlanta Prison Farm was the subject of an ACLU lawsuit in the 1980s. It also contains the graves of several zoo animals.
Next stop, Cop City? What’s happening with the controversial plan for a new police and fire training center in DeKalb
On September 8, Atlanta City Council voted 10 to 4 in favor of a proposal to build a training center for police and firefighters on 85 acres of land in south DeKalb County. The vote came amid fierce controversy and followed 17 hours of public comment. Here's why many groups are opposed to the plan, and what could happen next.
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