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Cop City

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local-government5 months ago

Atlanta 'Cop City' Records Released Following Landmark Court Ruling

Nearly 300 pages of records related to Atlanta's 'Cop City' police training center were released following a court ruling, setting a precedent for transparency of police foundations and revealing efforts to influence public opinion and block a referendum. The case highlights ongoing concerns about police militarization, environmental impact, and the role of private foundations in public policing, with activists continuing to seek greater transparency.

via The Guardian|
#atlanta#cop-city#local-government
legalcivil-rights2 years ago

"Massive RICO Indictments for 'Cop City' Protesters: Courtroom Showdown Begins"

Sixty-one protesters involved in the "Stop Cop City" movement were arraigned on RICO charges related to vandalism at the site of the new Public Safety Training Center in Fulton County. Only four protesters did not appear for the arraignment, with one arrest warrant issued. The remaining defendants waived arraignment, and final plea hearings are scheduled for May or June 2024 due to the extensive data involved in the case. Activists gathered outside the courthouse in support of the indicted individuals, arguing that the charges are baseless and an attack on their right to protest. The controversial training center, referred to as Cop City, has sparked nationwide protests, with activists claiming it promotes militarization and environmental damage.

via FOX 5 Atlanta|
#cop-city#first-amendment-rights#legalcivil-rights
crime2 years ago

"No Charges for Police in Fatal Shooting of Protester at Atlanta's 'Cop City'"

None of the Georgia State Police troopers involved in the fatal shooting of Manuel "Tortuguita" Teran, a protester at Atlanta's "Cop City," will face charges, according to the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney. Teran was shot and killed during a police raid on campgrounds occupied by environmental demonstrators. The autopsy revealed that Teran did not have gunpowder residue on their hands, but officials claimed Teran fired the first shot. The district attorney deemed the use of lethal force by the troopers as objectively reasonable, and the Georgia Attorney General's Office is conducting its own investigation into the shooting.

via ABC News|
#cop-city#crime#fatal-shooting
politics2 years ago

Atlanta Faces Backlash for Refusing to Process 'Cop City' Petitions

The city of Atlanta has refused to count and verify petitions signed by registered voters to put the question of whether a controversial police and fire department training center known as "Cop City" should be built on the ballot. The move, backed by a legal memo citing an active court case, has sparked outrage among activists and residents. The training center, which has faced opposition for three years, would be the largest of its kind in the US. The city's actions, including delaying approval of the petition's format and appealing a court decision, have been criticized as undemocratic. The city has 50 days to review the signatures, and the court case could impact the outcome of the effort.

via The Guardian US|
#atlanta#cop-city#democracy
politics2 years ago

"Atlanta 'Cop City' Activists Face Hurdles in Collecting 70K Signatures for Referendum"

Activists in Atlanta are collecting signatures for a referendum to cancel the city's lease of a proposed police and firefighter training center known as "Cop City." They need 58,203 signatures by mid-August to qualify for the November ballot, but they set a higher goal of 70,000 knowing some will be disqualified. The deadline was extended to late September, but significant hurdles remain. The training center has faced opposition from environmentalists and anti-police protesters who fear it will lead to greater militarization of the police and exacerbate environmental damage. Supporters argue that the facility will replace outdated facilities and boost police morale. The signature drive is the most ambitious in terms of numbers ever launched in a Georgia city, but legal challenges and construction progress pose challenges to its success.

via ABC News|
#anti-police-protesters#atlanta#cop-city
politics2 years ago

"Activists in Atlanta's 'Cop City' Project Face Hurdles Despite Confidence in 70K Signatures"

Activists in Atlanta are working to gather over 70,000 signatures for a referendum to cancel the city's lease of a proposed police and firefighter training center known as "Cop City." The deadline for signatures has been extended to late September, but significant hurdles remain. The organizers need 58,203 signatures by mid-August to qualify for the November ballot, but they set a higher goal to account for disqualifications. The training center has faced opposition from environmentalists and anti-police protesters who fear increased police militarization and environmental damage. Despite some challenges, organizers are confident in reaching their goal and see the referendum as the best option to block the project.

via The Associated Press|
#activism#atlanta#cop-city
politics2 years ago

Debate over Atlanta's 'Cop City' project continues despite approval and support.

The Atlanta city council has approved $67m for the construction of a police and fire department training center known as "Cop City" despite 14 hours of public comment against the idea. The project has been criticized for its lack of transparency, with recent revelations that it will cost taxpayers more than twice what the city has said for nearly two years. Environmental protesters, including Manuel Paez Terán, who was shot dead by police during a raid on the forest where the center is planned, have been vocal opponents of the project. The approval process has been called "anti-democratic" due to city policies that made public participation in the council meeting more difficult.

via The Guardian US|
#atlanta#cop-city#environmental-protesters
politics2 years ago

Controversy Surrounds Atlanta's Public Safety Training Center Project.

Despite protests and objections from activists, the Atlanta City Council has approved $31 million in funding for the $90 million Cop City project, which will serve as a state-of-the-art training center for local police and first responders. The facility will include areas for officers to work on driving techniques and firearms training, while including mock stores, homes, and nightclubs meant to simulate environments police may find themselves in on the job. While some have voiced concerns about the taxpayer cost of the facility and its potential impact on green spaces around Atlanta, supporters argue that the enhanced training stands to benefit everyone in the community.

via Fox News|
#activists#atlanta#cop-city
politics2 years ago

Atlanta City Council to Vote on Controversial Public Safety Training Center Funding

Hundreds of people gathered at Atlanta City Hall to voice their opposition to the funding of a public safety training center, dubbed "Cop City," ahead of a vote by the Atlanta City Council. Opponents argue that the project is a waste of resources and that the funds should be invested in affordable housing, healthcare, and education. Councilmembers will vote on whether to transfer $31 million to the Atlanta Police Foundation for construction of the facility and $1 million for a gym. The rest of the funding would come from the APF, which is a private nonprofit.

via WABE 90.1 FM|
#atlanta-city-council#cop-city#funding
legalprotests2 years ago

Legal Challenges and Arrests Surrounding 'Cop City' Protests in Atlanta

Lawyers representing an activist arrested while protesting against the building of “Cop City” in Georgia have launched a legal challenge to the use of a state domestic terrorism statute against protests, claiming an “act of free speech” is being unconstitutionally targeted. The legal challenge argues that “attempting by word or expressive action to alter, change, or coerce government policy is a quintessential act of free speech,” and that the protest against Cop City was constitutionally protected. The move comes amid the unprecedented arrests of organizers at a bail and legal defense fund that has helped some of the people arrested while protesting against the multimillion-dollar police and fire department training center planned for a forest south-east of Atlanta.

via The Guardian US|
#cop-city#domestic-terrorism#free-speech
politics2 years ago

Pressure Mounts on Atlanta Politicians to Reject $31m Funding for 'Cop City'

Atlanta politicians are facing pressure to vote against giving $31m to a police and fire department training center known as “Cop City”. The Atlanta Police Foundation, the organization behind it, is also apparently coming up short in sought-after $60m in corporate funding. The state continues to characterize opposition to the project as the work of “terrorists”, and the city’s mayor doubles down on the notion it is needed for “public safety”. If the council approves the funding as early as 5 June, it will be against the wishes of nearly 300 Atlanta-area residents who signed up for seven-plus hours of public comment on Monday.

via The Guardian US|
#atlanta#cop-city#funding
civil-rights2 years ago

Experts criticize recent arrests of 'Cop City' protesters as overreach.

Three activists protesting against the construction of a police and fire department training center known as "Cop City" near Atlanta have been arrested and charged under a little-known Georgia law. The arrests have raised concerns about the state's criminal justice system and its use of the law to silence speech critical of the government. The activists were charged with felony intimidation of a law enforcement officer after leaving a flyer on mailboxes in Cartersville, calling a policeman who lived in the neighborhood a "murderer" for participating in the shooting and killing of activist Manuel Paez Terán. The arrests have been described as "overreach" and have sparked concerns about first amendment rights.

via The Guardian US|
#arrests#civil-rights#cop-city
crime2 years ago

"Cop City" Activist Shot 57 Times in Atlanta, Autopsy Reveals No Evidence of Self-Defense

Manuel Paez Terán, an environmental activist and 'Cop City' protester, was shot 57 times by police during a demonstration at a controversial police and firefighter training site in Atlanta, Georgia. Police claim Terán fired a gun, injuring a state trooper, but the state autopsy found no evidence of gunpowder residue on Terán's clothes or around any of the gunshot wounds. Terán's family plans to file a lawsuit to force police to release more information. Protests over the proposed training centre in Atlanta have grown violent, with 23 people arrested and charged with domestic terrorism offences in March.

via BBC|
#atlanta#cop-city#crime
politics2 years ago

Controversy Surrounds Proposed "Cop City" Training Facility in Atlanta.

Private equity firms Roark Capital and Silver Lake Management have been linked to the development of a police and fire service training complex in Atlanta known as "Cop City" and the Atlanta police force. Roark Capital owns Inspire Brands, whose CEO sits on the board of trustees of the Atlanta police foundation (APF), which is raising $60m from corporate funders to build Cop City in a forest previously earmarked for a public park. Silver Lake Management has invested more than $1bn in Motorola Solutions, which designed and implemented the surveillance system for Operation Shield, a program that boasts more than 12,800 interconnected cameras monitored by the police. The police crackdown on community protests against Cop City has led to dozens of charges of domestic terrorism and the police killing of environmental activist Manuel Paez Terán.

via The Guardian US|
#atlanta-police#cop-city#environmental-activist
crime2 years ago

Lack of Autopsy Results for Activist Shot by Police Raises Concerns.

The autopsy of Manuel Paez Terán, an environmental activist shot and killed by police during a raid near Atlanta, Georgia, has not been completed nearly two months after his death. The autopsy could provide information on whether Terán fired a gun first at officers, but it remains unclear what work remains undone. Paez Terán's family has filed a lawsuit against the city of Atlanta in pursuit of video and audio recordings made during the raid. The family-ordered autopsy appeared to show that the activist was sitting cross-legged, with their hands in front of their face, when hit by a hail of bullets.

via The Guardian US|
#autopsy#cop-city#crime