Demonstrators Storm An Atlanta Police Station
As an Atlanta demonstration against a new police academy descended into violence and attackers threw Molotov cocktails and bricks at police, at least 35 individuals were detained, according to US authorities.
Police claim that “violent agitators” at the site of the building that opponents have dubbed “Cop City” staged a concerted assault late Sunday against police and set fire to construction tools.
Since authorities presented their proposal in 2021, the center, which will be constructed on 85 acres (34 hectares) of woodland property in DeKalb County, has been the object of ferocious resistance, with emotions over the project rapidly escalating.
“This wasn’t about a public safety training facility, this was about anarchy, and this was about the effort to destabilize,” Atlanta police chief Darin Schierbaum said at a late-night news conference.
People in black gathered behind a fence and threw rocks and explosives at police who were attempting to shut the gate, as shown on security footage from a facility entrance point.
The absence of injuries to any police, according to Schierbaum, was lucky for the department.
He said, “Your sole purpose is to damage when you hurl Molotov cocktails, commercial-grade explosives… towards cops.
This is not a demonstration. This is unlawful behavior.
In a statement, Georgia’s state police in Atlanta said that “the agitators damaged many pieces of construction equipment by fire and vandalism.”
This week, further demonstrations were anticipated.
Opponents of the facility have often demonstrated in front of the building out of concern for the environment and because they believe the facility would deteriorate relations between the police and communities of color.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, there was an apparent gunfight between police and protesters in January that resulted in the death of a demonstrator and significant injuries to a police officer.
Last year, several people were detained, nearby camps were seized and dismantled by police, and other demonstrators were detained on suspicion of “domestic terrorism” after hurling rocks and bottles at police cars.
