Atlanta City Council OKs $67M for Cop City as Thousands Showed Up in Opposition

Residents in Atlanta shattered the file for turnout at a metropolis council assembly Monday, as 1000’s lined as much as voice their opposition to the development of a large police coaching facility referred to as Cop Metropolis. In the end, the Atlanta Metropolis Council voted 11-4 to approve $30 million in further funding for the challenge, bringing the entire to $67 million — greater than double the unique estimate. The contentious vote comes after a SWAT workforce raided the Atlanta Solidarity Fund final Wednesday and arrested three individuals who had been elevating cash to bail out protesters against Cop Metropolis, charging them with cash laundering and charity fraud. Forty-two protesters nonetheless face fees together with home terrorism for opposing Cop Metropolis, and activists proceed to demand solutions over the deadly police taking pictures of environmental activist Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán in January. For extra on Cop Metropolis, we communicate with Reverend James Woodall from the Southern Heart for Human Rights, who spoke on the Metropolis Council assembly, in addition to Atlanta Solidarity Fund organizer Marlon Kautz, one of many three individuals arrested in final week’s SWAT raid. Kautz says the costs are “malicious political prosecutions” with the intent to “suppress a political motion.”

TRANSCRIPT

This can be a rush transcript. Copy will not be in its remaining type.

AMY GOODMAN: We start in the present day’s present in Atlanta, Georgia, the place residents shattered the file for turnout at a metropolis council assembly Monday, as 1000’s lined as much as voice their opposition to the development of a large police coaching facility referred to as Cop Metropolis.

PROTESTERS: Allow us to in! Allow us to in! Allow us to in! Allow us to in! Allow us to in! Allow us to in!

AMY GOODMAN: Atlanta police enforced enhanced safety as individuals signed as much as take part in a public remark session forward of a vote to approve $30 million in further funding for Cop Metropolis, bringing the entire to $67 million — greater than double the unique estimate. It could be the biggest police coaching facility within the nation.

This comes after an Atlanta police SWAT workforce, weapons drawn, raided the Atlanta Solidarity Fund final Wednesday and arrested three individuals who had been elevating cash to bail out protesters against Cop Metropolis, charging them with cash laundering and charity fraud.

Georgia Democratic Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock criticized the arrests in an announcement Sunday, saying, quote, “Whereas we nonetheless don’t have all the small print, as a pastor who has lengthy been engaged in justice work, I’m involved by what we find out about final Wednesday’s present of pressure in opposition to the organizers of an Atlanta bail fund, & the questions it raises,” he mentioned.

These arrests come as 42 protesters face fees together with home terrorism for opposing Cop Metropolis, and after Atlanta police shot useless the environmental activist Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán in January. An post-mortem exhibits they had been sitting with their palms raised up in entrance of their physique when police shot them 57 occasions.

That is Muscogee Indigenous chief Mekko Chebon addressing the Atlanta Metropolis Council on Monday.

MEKKO CHEBON: I’m part of the Methodist construction. I’ve been part of the United Nations Everlasting Discussion board on Indigenous Points. I’ve been with conversations of human rights all internationally. I’ve walked with refugee camps in different components, in different nations of Indigenous peoples. I’ve seen conditions similar to what we’re going by right here in different nations. I’ve seen issues happening the place individuals have been killed, similar to what we’re making an attempt to say ought to by no means occur right here, all around the world. And I don’t need that to extend.

Each time in these nations, I shared with them, it doesn’t matter what, the way you slice it, the growing of extra militarized mechanism by no means establishes a peaceable society, it doesn’t matter what. It by no means accomplishes what your hopes, what your arguments are. The truth is, it does fairly the other. The truth is, our neighborhood, we’re already residing by the residing proof of that at this second. Immediately, I feel it’s apparent. I don’t help Cop Metropolis.

AMY GOODMAN: Monday’s Atlanta Metropolis Council assembly began within the afternoon and continued for almost 15 hours, till about 5 a.m. this morning. At one level, protesters broke out in music as public remark continued.

CHAIR: Recess has expired. Recess has expired.

PROTESTERS: [singing] Ain’t gonna let no person flip me ’spherical,
flip me ’spherical

CHAIR: Recess has expired.

PROTESTERS: [singing] flip me ’spherical,
Ain’t gonna let no person flip me ’spherical,
I’m gonna carry on a-walkin’, carry on a-talkin’,
Marching as much as freedom land.

AMY GOODMAN: In the end, at about 5:30 this morning, the Atlanta Metropolis Council voted 11 to 4 to fund the Cop Metropolis facility.

For extra, we go to Atlanta for an replace. Marlon Kautz is with us, an organizer with the Atlanta Solidarity Fund, who was one of many three individuals arrested final Wednesday and simply spent 4 days in jail. Additionally with us, one of many first to talk throughout Monday’s public remark session, Reverend James Woodall. He’s a public coverage affiliate on the Southern Heart for Human Rights and co-author of Wired for Racism? How Evolution and Religion [Move Us to] Problem Racial Idolatry.

We welcome you each to Democracy Now! Reverend Woodall, let’s start with you. Once you arrived on the Atlanta Metropolis Corridor to provide your public remark, are you able to speak in regards to the totally different degree of safety and protocol to enter the premises that you simply had ever skilled earlier than? Simply describe the scene for us after which what you mentioned.

REV. JAMES WOODALL: Most undoubtedly. Nicely, first, let me begin by saying thanks for having us on the present in the present day.

And once we entered Atlanta’s Metropolis Corridor, we had been met with bomb canines. We had been met with officers donning AR-15s. We had of us in riot gear. We noticed a heightened degree of safety each in protocol — that means once we entered into the Metropolis Corridor, we couldn’t even usher in meals or water. And folks had been planning to be there actually all day and all evening. And to not even have the ability to usher in Gatorade — I needed to throw my Gatorade out and needed to stroll out of the Metropolis Corridor, throw it out after which come again in. And, you recognize, it took a miracle, primarily, to have the ability to even deliver pizza in in direction of the latter parts of the afternoon into the night.

And we noticed legislation enforcement officers actually on each single degree of the Metropolis Corridor within the within the atrium. And so, I had by no means seen that type of exercise wherein our legislation enforcement response would primarily, you recognize, criminalize in some methods what we had been making an attempt to do, which was to raise up the voice of the individuals.

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Reverend, I wished to ask you — the mayor of Atlanta has claimed that a lot of the opposition is from exterior agitators and a white motion. May you speak about your individual historical past in Atlanta and why you bought concerned on this motion?

REV. JAMES WOODALL: Oh, for positive. I’m a sixth-generation Atlantan. The truth is, my grandmother’s granddad, his dad bought property within the coronary heart of the West Finish of Atlanta off of Finley Avenue for primarily $83 with no mortgage. And so, our household has been within the coronary heart of Atlanta for nearly a century. And I’m speaking earlier than the Emancipation Proclamation. And several other dozens and tons of of different individuals, actually, virtually each single individual that we noticed and heard from final evening and yesterday afternoon, was from Atlanta.

Now, granted, there are people who find themselves not from Atlanta, as nicely, however who cares? As a result of on the finish of the day, what we’re preventing for is liberty and justice for all, which they pledged their allegiance to, for the flag of this but to be United States. And so, if there’s injustice anyplace, there’s a risk to justice all over the place. And sadly, once more, democracy has failed us, as a result of that’s simply merely not the case. And so, after I take into consideration what the mayor mentioned — actually, I’ll even inform you, is that the mayor’s mom taught my grandmother do hair, which taught my mother do hair.

And so, after I take into consideration how I obtained concerned on this work, and I’m seeing what’s occurring on the bottom each day within our services, I’m seeing, you recognize, youngsters and school college students pulled out of vehicles and being tagged — and laser — I imply, not laser tagged, however, primarily, focused for being on the flawed place on the flawed time. I’m seeing individuals die, actually die, by the hands of legislation enforcement, each right here within the metropolis of Atlanta and surrounding these counties, in these communities, as a result of this isn’t simply in regards to the metropolis of Atlanta. We’re going to see departments and businesses throughout this nation ship its individuals, ship its legislation enforcement and first responders right here to coach on city warfare. And what we noticed final Wednesday, what we’ve seen over the course of the previous couple of months as pertains to home terrorism fees is regarding and is precisely the type of motive why we stand in full opposition to this challenge.

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And this was a marathon assembly of the Atlanta Metropolis Council. Your response to the result and the vote? And did you get a way that any members of the Metropolis Council had been moved in any respect by the testimony?

REV. JAMES WOODALL: Nicely, what I’ll inform you is that that’s an instance and is indicative that our democracy has died. And the spirit of democracy has died, as a result of when the individuals present up, and also you see each events — this isn’t a red-versus-blue, Democrat-versus-Republican type of problem. We noticed Republicans come out in opposition. We noticed libertarians come out in opposition. You noticed Democrats come out in opposition. You noticed people who find themselves not affiliated with any of the above come out in opposition. And once you see elected officers select the aspect not of the individuals — proper? — not of justice and liberty for all, however once you see elected officers take the aspect of company executives and nonprofit leaders who search to revenue off of taxpayer {dollars} — proper? — what we must be speaking about is charity fraud on behalf of the Atlanta public basis as a result of what we’ve seen them do and the way the numbers have simply not added up. And so, I’m involved that our democracy is useless, as a result of our elected officers aren’t representing the individuals, no matter who they vote for.

AMY GOODMAN: I wished to herald Marlon Kautz into the dialog with Reverend James Woodall. Marlon is with the Atlanta Solidarity Fund, one of many three individuals arrested on Wednesday. This was simply days earlier than this vital Atlanta Metropolis Council vote, the place they voted to approve what’s now greater than double the quantity initially proposed for this police facility. Marlon, when you can speak about, I imply, how uncommon the extent of pressure used was on this raid on the Atlanta fund, which not solely has helped individuals who have been arrested across the Cop Metropolis, however you do that for many individuals who’ve been arrested?

MARLON KAUTZ: Completely. Yeah, when it comes to the raid, it was terrifying, clearly. And also you’ll must forgive my voice. I’m nonetheless feeling the results of the higher half of every week in DeKalb County Jail. However, you recognize, we woke as much as the sound of our door being damaged down by a battering ram and our home being surrounded by dozens of SWAT officers. And my first response was that this must be a mistake. , naively, I assumed this wasn’t the type of factor that would occur to organizers like us. However as soon as I noticed the automated weapons, the physique armor, and I heard police discussing throwing a flashbang into our front room, I noticed that these police had come ready to kill us, in the identical approach that police have come ready to kill activists protesting within the forest — and, actually, did kill Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán. And so we rapidly surrendered. We had been arrested in our pajamas and brought to jail.

So, the expertise was terrifying on two totally different ranges: on this quick approach of what it was prefer to face that type of police violence for doing nothing greater than nonviolent work to help the rights of protesters, but in addition on this greater degree of what it means, proper? As a result of if this sort of police violence will be introduced even in opposition to organizers like us, who — you recognize, who do nothing greater than be sure that activists have entry to attorneys, who be sure that they’re in a position to make bail if they will’t afford it themselves — if this sort of violence will be introduced in opposition to individuals like us, who’s protected on this metropolis? And what does that imply for the correct to protest and democracy?

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Marlon, what occurred at your bail listening to on Friday? What was the decide’s response to your arrest and the costs in opposition to the three of you?

MARLON KAUTZ: Yeah, I imply, after days in jail, we lastly obtained in entrance of a decide, who confronted the allegations in opposition to us, the arrest warrants. And the decide in a short time acknowledged that the costs are baseless, they’re nonsensical. We had been being charged with charities fraud and cash laundering. And the actions of our group are utterly authorized. They’re clear. They’re aboveboard. We very fastidiously observe all legal guidelines and rules associated to our work, as a result of we all know that we’re within the crosshairs of many political forces. And the decide acknowledged this and, thankfully, issued us bail, which has been uncommon in these protest instances, that are often denied bail flat out.

And I feel this exhibits that the trouble of prosecutors to demonize organizers related to the motion in opposition to Cop Metropolis are starting to be uncovered. They’re starting to turn out to be unraveled and proven to be what they’re, which is malicious political prosecutions that don’t have anything to do with implementing the legislation, conserving the general public protected. What they actually must do with is bringing the pressure and violence of police and prosecutors to suppress a political motion, to suppress political speech.

AMY GOODMAN: As we start to wrap up, I wished to ask Reverend James Woodall — you’re deeply involved about problems with police brutality and abuse of energy. This can be a police coaching facility. Now you may have Senator Warnock additionally weighing in, deeply involved in regards to the raid on the Atlanta Solidarity Fund, with weapons drawn, by a SWAT workforce. However when you can touch upon why you’re involved a few police coaching facility? Isn’t that what you’d need, police to be skilled higher?

REV. JAMES WOODALL: It’s precisely what I don’t need, as a result of once we take into consideration police coaching, we’re not speaking about police coaching. We’re speaking about an infrastructure challenge. Now we have but to speak about what they’re being skilled to do. The truth is, when you had been to have a look at — and I’ve been on this work a very long time. And each time we speak about police coaching, we’re speaking a few furthering city militarization of legislation departments or legislation enforcement officers. We’re not speaking about deescalation. We’re not speaking about making certain that there’s equitable accountability for legislation enforcement officers who disregard the coaching that they had been already invoked within the earlier components of their profession and persevering with of their skilled improvement. We’re not speaking about the truth that each single officer in instances of police brutality and police-involved demise within the final 10, 12 years — and that’s only a small section of the historical past — however we’re not speaking about the truth that they’ve been skilled, they usually’ve been skilled very totally, and but these individuals nonetheless are dying.

And so, what we had been organizing round in 2020, what we’ve organized round after the homicide of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, after the deaths of Atatiana Jefferson and so many others — I can go down the record — what we had been calling for was accountability and true justice. And this $90 million that persons are saying is important for us to have higher policing, actually, is an insult, as a result of what we’re not saying is that we need to construct a system of public security that’s inclusive of all of us, not simply legislation enforcement, as a result of that may be a political soccer that individuals can throw in order that they will win elections. That is what that’s about.

Now we have an legal professional normal in Chris Carr who led that raid on Atlanta Solidarity Fund, who’s making an attempt to posture himself to run for governor. He have a governor in Brian Kemp who signed off and endorsed that motion, as he tries to advertise somebody working for president and himself presumably for america Senate. Now we have Senators Warnock and Ossoff, who additionally weighed in solely after plenty of immense strain on behalf of organizers who had been pissed off that they refused to say something in any respect.

And so, what now we have proper now is just not about coaching, is just not about public security and has the whole lot to do with a political aristocracy that refuses to acknowledge the ache and the fact of on a regular basis life for on a regular basis Georgians and on a regular basis Individuals. That isn’t democracy. That isn’t management. And that’s completely not public security.

AMY GOODMAN: Reverend James Woodall, I need to thanks for being with us, public coverage affiliate at Southern Heart for Human Rights, co-author of Wired for Racism? How Evolution and Religion [Move Us to] Problem Racial Idolatry. And Marlon Kautz, thanks a lot for becoming a member of us, of the Atlanta Solidarity Fund, one among three members of the bail fund arrested final week throughout an armed police SWAT workforce raid, spent 4 days in jail.

Subsequent up, we take a look at the rising calls in Australia, from the prime minister on down, for WikiLeaks founder, writer Julian Assange to be lastly free of jail in London, not extradited right here to america, the place he faces 175 years in jail. We’ll communicate with Julian’s legal professional Jen Robinson in London. Stick with us.