More activists arrested as they protest against Atlanta’s plan to build a ‘cop city’

In Georgia, at least five protesters were arrested Thursday after chaining themselves to construction machinery at a “Cop City” construction site. “Police City” is a large police training center under construction in Atlanta with a budget of $90 million. The mobilization came in response to the prosecution earlier this week of 61 activists accused of being a “criminal gang” for taking part in protests to block the center’s construction. Five of them were also charged with domestic terrorism and arson. Those were the words of Atlanta artist Ayeola Omolara Kaplan, one of the anti-Cop City protesters arrested Thursday.

Ayoola Omolala Kaplan: “We must stand up and take control of our future through direct action mobilizations like this. We need as many people as possible to join this series of non-violent direct actions. The more of us who are willing to take the risk of coming here, risk If we risk our lives to save the forest, we will win.”