Sunday, thirty-five individuals battled with law officials at a police training complex under construction outside Atlanta, according to local authorities. It was unclear whether the 35 individuals were detained and, if so, what charges were being recommended.
The conflicts broke out in the late afternoon and were marked by a few fires and the sound of firecrackers at the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center’s woodland location in DeKalb County, south of Atlanta.
In a Sunday night statement, police stated that a gang of “external agitators” donned black attire and plotted an attack on construction equipment and police officers. The Atlanta Police Department stated, “They began throwing large boulders, bricks, Molotov bombs, and pyrotechnics at police personnel.”
According to the department, a portion of the attack was concentrated on the construction site.
The organisers did not respond to a request for comment immediately. The Atlanta Solidarity Fund, which assists in posting bail for those arrested during rallies, tweeted, “It appears that police are targeting anyone present at the music festival.” The police stated the protesters could have caused “bodily injury.”
“Officers exercised restraint and utilised nonlethal force to effect arrests,” according to authorities.
Here is the tweet by microsoftnews Officers detain 35 in clash with protesters at Atlanta police training center site.
Officers detain 35 in clash with protesters at Atlanta police training center site https://t.co/HoDGedOl4D
— Microsoft News (@microsoftnews) March 6, 2023
On January 18, police fatally shot Manuel Esteban Paez Teran, also known as Tortuguita, a demonstrator. According to authorities, he fired upon a state trooper, who sustained injuries but is expected to survive.
Even as the investigation into the incident continued, it drew additional attention to the constant demonstrations planned against the facility under the banner “Stop Cop City.”
Protesters said they are concerned about the center’s environmental impact as well as its symbolic significance as one of the nation’s largest law enforcement training centres at a time when police shootings remain a contentious issue.
You may also like:
