Far-Left Extremists Detained After Attack at Future Police Training Center in Atlanta

On Sunday night, the Atlanta Police Department released striking footage revealing a group of Antifa protesters dressed entirely in black breaking into the construction site for a proposed police training facility.

The video, shared on Facebook, captured approximately 150 rioters wearing ski masks and camouflage who entered the area of Atlanta’s upcoming Public Safety Training Facility, referred to as Cop City by those opposed to its creation, and swiftly ignited fireworks. Shortly after, the fireworks detonated near police officers stationed nearby. Later in the video, some members of the group were seen assembling riot shields and gesturing for others to join them.

The statement released by The Atlanta Police Department read:

On March 5, 2023, a group of violent agitators used the cover of a peaceful protest of the proposed Atlanta Public Safety Training Center to conduct a coordinated attack on construction equipment and police officers. They changed into black clothing and entered the construction area and began to throw large rocks, bricks, Molotov cocktails, and fireworks at police officers.

The agitators destroyed multiple pieces of construction equipment by fire and vandalism. Multiple law enforcement agencies deployed to the area and detained several people committing illegal activity. 35 agitators have been detained so far.

The illegal actions of the agitators could have resulted in bodily harm. Officers exercised restraint and used non-lethal enforcement to conduct arrests.

With protests planned for the coming days, the Atlanta Police Department, in collaboration with law enforcement partners, have a multi-layered strategy that includes reaction and arrest.

The Atlanta Police Department asks for this week’s protests to remain peaceful.

The facility, which has previously been the scene of protests and the death of a protester, is located in DeKalb County and is named the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center. During a midnight press conference, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum confirmed that various pieces of construction equipment were set ablaze at the site on Sunday. Police released surveillance footage that depicted a fiery piece of heavy machinery at the facility. Multiple pieces of construction equipment were destroyed in the incident, according to authorities.

Back on January 21st, 2023, a group of protesters marched from Underground Atlanta down Peachtree Street. When they reached the intersection with Ellis Street, some protesters damaged institutions that support the facility and set an Atlanta Police Department vehicle on fire. Six individuals were arrested as a result. Stop Cop City issued a statement in response to the condemnation of these actions, stating that “Destruction of material is fundamentally different from violence. All reported acts appear to be explicitly targeted against the financial backers.”

Between January 20th and 22nd, 2023, notable vigils and protests were held in Bridgeport, Minneapolis, Nashville, Philadelphia, and Tucson. During these events, some demonstrators spray-painted graffiti on Bank of America buildings to protest the company’s involvement in financing the facility’s construction.

Following the arrests of protestors in December on charges of domestic terrorism, additional protestors arrested in January also faced terrorism charges, resulting in a total of 20 individuals facing these charges. This is the first time that state law has been used in this way, and legal scholars, protest groups, and state and local governments are closely monitoring the case to understand the precedents it may set for handling similar cases in the future. Supporters of this approach argue that it will deter criminal behavior, while critics fear that it is overreach and could infringe upon legitimate protests.