The future site of an upcoming police training center for Atlanta devolved into violence and fire this past weekend which resulted in the arrest of 35 people, as reported by local authorities.
Police officials explained that a large group of “violent agitators” clad in all-black clothing “used the cover of a peaceful protest” and carried out a “coordinated attack” against the construction area of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, which has been labeled by a number of critics as “Cop City.”
People shot off fireworks and hurled bricks, large rocks, and even Molotov cocktails throughout the attack, explained police officials, and a number of pieces of construction equipment were set alight.
As part of a Sunday evening press conference, Darin Schierbaum, the Chief of Police for Atlanta, stated that most of those that ended up being detained seem to be from places other than the Atlanta area and will be issued appropriate charges.
“This was about anarchy,” stated Schierbaum.
Chris Carr, the Attorney General of Georgia, stated that a number of the people that were taken into custody this past Sunday were from areas such as Massachusetts, New York, France, and Canada. “So this is a national network, an international group of people that are organized to come to our state to undermine a public safety training center,” he stated as part of an appearance on Fox News this past Monday.
Atlanta police forces shared surveillance video taken of the construction area showing people sprinting around and what seems to be fireworks being shot off near police forces.
Schierbaum stated that no officers were hurt during the interaction. He also stated that both the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the FBI are working together for this investigative effort.
Police forces “exercised restraint” and made use of non-lethal enforcement to carry out the arrests, stated police officials.
In a release, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp stated that rioters “chose destruction and vandalism over legitimate protest, yet again demonstrating the radical intent behind their actions.”
The Governor went on to add that “domestic terrorism will NOT be tolerated in this state,” and promised, “We will not rest until those who use violence and intimidation for an extremist end are brought to full justice.”
This Sunday evening unrest marks just another spike in the clashes with police officials by anti-police rioters and environmentalists after the $90 million training center ended up being approved in 2021 by the city council for Atlanta and construction started in a forested area, as reported by the Associated Press.
