In a recent interview on The Takeaway, Kamau Franklin said, "What seems to be underreported is that even at the beginning of the protest against Cop City, when people were doing demonstrations and marches on city sidewalks, we would have at the end of those demonstrations, police jumping in the middle of them and arresting people for just standing or talking after demonstrations. And they've come in during demonstrations. They've used pepper spray. They've violently thrown people to the ground. Folks have been arrested. This is pre the charges of domestic terrorism."
Activists view cop city as proof of the ongoing militarization of the police.
Bulldozers and police raids made their way through Weelaunee People’s Park last Wednesday after police killed protester Manuel Terán AKA Tortuguita. Officials say Manuel fired first, but activists doubt the official account from police. The GBI director says there is no body cam footage from the incident and the Georgia Department of Public Safety released a press release saying they would not be releasing the identity of the trooper who was struck in the abdomen for concerns for "for the protection of life, safety, and public property."
Local activists are calling for an independent wrongful death investigation.
In the aftermath, protests happened across the country this past weekend and more protesters around the South River Forest have been arrested on “domestic terrorism” charges.
For more, we checked in with Founder of Community Movement Builders Kamau Franklin and Sean, a participant in the Defend the Atlanta Forest movement, for an update on “cop city.” We also spoke with City Councilmember At-Large Michael Julian Bond who supports the development of cop city.
To keep up with our coverage of cop city, check our recent segment.
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