On Tuesday, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced that 61 individuals have been indicted in Fulton County as a result of an investigation into the violence and terror attacks at the site of the future Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, which has been dubbed “Cop City” by its opponents.
All 61 individuals have been charged with Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Several of the individuals have been also charged with Domestic Terrorism, Attempted Arson in the First Degree, and Money Laundering. The individuals are allegedly members of Defend the Atlanta Forest, an anarchist, anti-police, and anti-business extremist organization. Only 13 of the 61 individuals are from Georgia.
“As this indictment shows, looking the other way when violence occurs is not an option in Georgia,” said Carr. “If you come to our state and shoot a police officer, throw Molotov cocktails at law enforcement, set fire to police vehicles, damage construction equipment, vandalize private homes and businesses, and terrorize their occupants, you can and will be held accountable. We will not waver when it comes to keeping people safe, enforcing the rule of law, and ensuring those who engage in criminal activity are vigorously pursued and aggressively prosecuted.”
According to a press release from Carr’s office, the indictment lists 225 incidents in which the defendants are alleged to have worked together to prevent the construction of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, including:
- On July 5, 2020, members of the group attacked DPS headquarters by throwing rocks and hurling a Molotov cocktail through the window, resulting in the injury of two employees and the building catching fire;
- On May 17, 2022, defendants threw Molotov cocktails and glass bottles at police officers;
- On Dec. 13, 2022, defendants threw fireworks at firefighters and EMTs, damaged an APD vehicle, and cut the safety rope of an arborist working in one of the trees on the site;
- On multiple occasions, members of the group torched and caused other damage to buildings and construction equipment, including excavators and bulldozers, owned by contractors associated with the project and then claimed responsibility for the destruction;
- Members of the group used the Scenes Blog to call for a “Night of Rage” to occur on Jan. 21, 2023, during which defendants committed arson and property damage and attempted to break into 191 Peachtree, where the offices of the Atlanta Police Foundation and other businesses are located;
- On March 5, 2023, a member of the group punched a police officer and an organized mob attacked other law enforcement who were guarding the site and the crowd proceeded to set construction vehicles on fire;
- On July 3, 2022, at least one member of the group vandalized historic Ebenezer Baptist Church;
- On multiple occasions, members of the group harassed and intimidated law enforcement, including traveling to the home of a State Trooper;
- On multiple occasions, members of the group harassed and intimidated contractors and construction workers for their roles in the project, including trespassing on and destroying their property in Georgia, Florida, New York, Oregon, Michigan, and Minnesota.