1 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:09,039 Speaker 1: Greetings. This is it could happen here. I'm Garrison Davis, 2 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:11,880 Speaker 1: and this episode I will once again be talking about 3 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: the Defend the Atlanta Force project. Last month I released 4 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 1: two episodes totally like three hours in content, uh, discussing 5 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:25,120 Speaker 1: the movement from its inception up until the current state 6 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: of affairs at time of recording, which was like early May. 7 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 1: If you want background on this uh, really interesting and 8 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:39,559 Speaker 1: vital piece of resistance that's happening in Atlanta, Georgia, then 9 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 1: I would recommend you at least attempts to check out 10 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 1: the Juggernaut of Audio, which is that two part a 11 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 1: long story short. There's this police training facility that the 12 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: Atlanta Police Foundation and other corporate interests in the city 13 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 1: are trying to build on one of the city's last 14 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: remaining like massive wafts of of a continuous forested land. 15 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: On an adjacent piece of forested land, a movie studio 16 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 1: called Black Hall is trying to expand their sound stage 17 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: onto a whole other section of the woods. The joint 18 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:17,039 Speaker 1: projects of the police training facility, dubbed Cops City and 19 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 1: the Black Hall Studios sound stage expansion threatened hundreds of 20 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: acres of the largest continuous piece of the Atlantic Forest 21 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: located in southwest Intocab County. The area is often referred 22 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: to as the Lungs of Atlanta and produces a massive 23 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: amount of tree canopy in the city and is a 24 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 1: wonderful little ecological spot. I was lucky enough to visit 25 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 1: in late April to help in putting together those those 26 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:45,479 Speaker 1: two episodes, and a lot of a lot a lot 27 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 1: has happened since then. Uh. Coming off the success of 28 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 1: getting Reeves Young to cease work on the Cops City project, 29 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: I felt like there was this sense of renewed optimism 30 00:01:55,840 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 1: regarding the potential of actually winning. On the other hand, 31 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: in just during the week before the Week of Action, 32 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: attempts by cops to enter the forest increased, and there 33 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 1: was talk of increasing crackdowns against the forest offenders by 34 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 1: local law enforcement, who also announced that they called in 35 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: the FBI to assist them, which leads us to the 36 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 1: Week of Action. On the morning of May nine, which 37 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 1: was a Monday, barely a day into the Week of Action, 38 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: a bulldozer was brought into the Atlanta Forest. This is 39 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 1: based on reporting by the Great Folks at the Atlanta 40 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 1: Community Press and other on the ground reports from forest 41 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:42,200 Speaker 1: offenders hosted by the Defend the Atlanta Forest account and 42 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 1: scenes dot no blogs. So around nine thirty a m. 43 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: Monday morning, people inhabiting the Wilani Forest woke up to 44 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 1: the sounds of trees going down and metal machinery. A 45 00:02:55,760 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: bulldozer marked with Dodd Drilling LLC, accompanied by to Decab 46 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:04,799 Speaker 1: County cops, had bulldozed a path through the forested Entrenchment 47 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 1: Creek Park, directly adjacent to the old Atlanta Prison Farm. 48 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: The park land is currently under threat by the Black 49 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:16,640 Speaker 1: Hall Studios sound stage development. The Dodd Drilling bulldozer destroyed 50 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:20,920 Speaker 1: a significant swath of forests, injuring plants and animals in 51 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:25,359 Speaker 1: its path. When people learned about this, around forty folks 52 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: quickly mobilized and gathered around the bulldozer, confronting the project 53 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 1: managers and the police officers on the scene. Those gathered 54 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 1: showed it at the workers and cops to go home 55 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 1: and declared that this is a public park. When the 56 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 1: two Decab County police who were protecting the bulldozer were confronted, 57 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 1: it was revealed that they were actually working as off 58 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: duty uniformed private security, seemingly taking orders from the construction management. 59 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: The management who wore vests labeled Contour Engineering and Dodd 60 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: Phillips claimed that they were not working for black Holes studios. 61 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: Who who knows if that's true or who they might 62 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: be working for that Georgia state law does permit off 63 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 1: duty police officers to be hired, along with their uniforms, 64 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:14,559 Speaker 1: service weapons, and vehicles, by private companies for their own purposes. 65 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 1: The police expressed that they were not aware that they 66 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: were in a public park along with the bulldozer they 67 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: were protecting, and faced with a confident group of responders 68 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:28,279 Speaker 1: intent on defending the forest from further destruction, police and 69 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: the construction management quickly made the decision to retreat from 70 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:35,360 Speaker 1: the woods. The off duty cops had called in reinforcements 71 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 1: from Decab County. Seven more Decab County vehicles showed up, 72 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 1: but by the time the extra police survived, workers were 73 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:47,280 Speaker 1: driving the bulldozers back into the parking lot. The police 74 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,479 Speaker 1: were persuaded to leave by the actions of intelligent people 75 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: acting quickly and collectively in defense of the land. The 76 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:58,159 Speaker 1: force defenders then escorted the cops and the workers out 77 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:00,599 Speaker 1: of the park and made sure that the instruction of 78 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 1: the woods had truly ceased. Police scanners reported that vehicles 79 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:08,920 Speaker 1: transporting the bulldozer faced a brage of rocks and had 80 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:13,080 Speaker 1: their windshield smashed. Entrenchment Creek Park is still a public 81 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 1: park and property of Decab County under a civil court injunction. 82 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: The pending case prevents construction or clearing by Black Hall Studios. 83 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 1: Later that same day, a group of around forty people 84 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 1: marched to the home of Shepherd Long, the principle of 85 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: Long Engineering, an engineering firm subcontracted to do surveying and 86 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 1: other preconstruction work on the Atlanta Police Foundation's Public Safety 87 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: training center, which we called Cops City. The group rallied 88 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:47,479 Speaker 1: for about ten minutes outside Shepherd Lungs home and was 89 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:51,200 Speaker 1: demanding that Long Engineering sever its contract with the Cops 90 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:54,360 Speaker 1: City project. One of the group members read aloud a 91 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:57,359 Speaker 1: statement directed to Shepherd Long, which I will play the 92 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:01,280 Speaker 1: audio of here. In Mane is a city of forests 93 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 1: with the most tree coverage of any urban city in America. 94 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 1: If you continue to work with bross Field and Gory, 95 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 1: the entire city will experience worse floods, higher temperatures, and 96 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 1: small field afternoons. You have the power to stop that. 97 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:17,359 Speaker 1: This proposed military training compound is in the nucleus of 98 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:21,039 Speaker 1: a culturally rich black community full of churches, preschools, and 99 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 1: community centers. Dozens of children and grandparents have lived there 100 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 1: for years. If you continue to work with brass Field 101 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 1: and Gory, our streets and backyards will be filled with shootings, explosions, 102 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:34,839 Speaker 1: and dear gas. We want our children and neighbors to 103 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:37,839 Speaker 1: be able to breathe clean air and experience the vastness 104 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: of the Atlanta Forest, not to be victims of a 105 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 1: domestic war zone. You have the power to stop that. 106 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:46,360 Speaker 1: We are here to fight for the future of our city, 107 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 1: our children, our neighbors, and our planet. We hold no 108 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 1: ill will towards you personally. We just want you to 109 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 1: make this one right decision. We no long Engineering has 110 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:01,039 Speaker 1: many other contracts with many other company. We are only 111 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:04,359 Speaker 1: here to ask you to drop this one company, Rathfield 112 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: and Glory, until they dropped their contract with the Atlanta 113 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: Police Foundation. The group distributed flyers alerting neighbors to the 114 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: work of Shepherd Long and what his company was doing 115 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 1: in De capp County. After about ten minutes, the group 116 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: quickly dispersed without incident. The next day, There's a lot 117 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 1: of other events related to the Week of Action. There 118 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: was a security culture workshop and activist primer about building 119 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 1: a collective understanding of ways to keep us all safe 120 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 1: from imprisonment the government repression. There was a night of 121 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 1: hip hop and punk at a local radical venue that 122 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: served as a benefit show for the Forest Defense, and 123 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:46,800 Speaker 1: other random events throughout the Week of Action included stuff 124 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: like clothing swaps, bike rides through the forest, yoga in 125 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 1: the park, plus daily breakfast and dinners, history talks, art parties, 126 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 1: wood walks, skill shares, and a sick night rave along 127 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 1: with you know, forced tours and much more. So that's 128 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 1: just two days of the Week of Action, the Monday 129 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 1: and the Tuesday. When we get back from this ad break, 130 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 1: I will get into what happened on Wednesday and then 131 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 1: and then Thursday. You know, we're going to go through 132 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: it linearly. Um, despite my criticisms of linear time, we 133 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 1: will go through this in a linear fashion because that's 134 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: how formatting this episode was easiest. Anyway, here's some ads, 135 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:39,680 Speaker 1: and we are back talking about the Defending Atlantic Forest 136 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 1: Week of Action. So just after ten am on Wednesday, 137 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 1: May eleven, to de cab County Park Police entered the 138 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:50,920 Speaker 1: forest to inspect the path created by the bulldozer that 139 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 1: previous Monday. As they were exiting the forest, forest defenders 140 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:57,839 Speaker 1: to ambush them by throwing rocks and bottles at their 141 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 1: vehicles and smashing the car windows. At noons like two 142 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:06,840 Speaker 1: hours later, a van marked law enforcement Department of Juvenile 143 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 1: Justice pulled up into the parking lot of entrenchmentt Creek Park. 144 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 1: It's worth noting that the area of Entrenchment Creek Park 145 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 1: and the forested area on the Atlanta Prison Farm has 146 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:23,199 Speaker 1: like two child prisons on it. We talked more about 147 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:27,080 Speaker 1: those in the in the two part series from last month. 148 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:32,079 Speaker 1: But anyway, so this van marked Department of Juvenal Justice 149 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 1: pulled up into the parking lot inside in Trenchmant Creek Park. 150 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:38,200 Speaker 1: But an hour later the van was attacked suddenly by 151 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:41,839 Speaker 1: a brage of rocks and multiple tires were slashed. The 152 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 1: van attempted to escape, but was left stranded in the 153 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 1: parking lot until the cab police were able to escort 154 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:50,719 Speaker 1: it out. Police were nervously walking backwards in order to 155 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:53,360 Speaker 1: keep their eyes on the tree line, where they knew 156 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:57,480 Speaker 1: forced defenders would be watching them at every moment. Multiple 157 00:09:57,559 --> 00:10:01,680 Speaker 1: police vehicles were damaged. Nobody was detain or arrested. Portions 158 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 1: of that report came from scenes dot no blogs dot Org. 159 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: Earlier that same day, like early in the morning, around 160 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:13,679 Speaker 1: forty people visited the home of Keith Lanier Johnson Jr. 161 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 1: In Kensaw, Georgia. Keith is the Eastern Regional president of 162 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:22,680 Speaker 1: Brassfield and Gory. Brassfield and Gory are the current general 163 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 1: contractor on the Atlanta Police Foundations Cops City Project. Flyers 164 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:30,760 Speaker 1: were posted around the neighborhood, past the low barrier fencing 165 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 1: around the gated community. An anonymous statement released online at 166 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 1: scenes dot no blogs read quote now that Keith is 167 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: no longer busy on the board of the Mount Perrin 168 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:44,440 Speaker 1: Christian School. It seems he is now managing the one 169 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 1: hundred and forty two thou dollars of fines levied against 170 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 1: his employer for safety and wage theft violations. He's also 171 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:55,080 Speaker 1: overseeing the destruction of grave sites, leveling of a vital 172 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:58,839 Speaker 1: tree canopy, and the militarization of the American Police Force. 173 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 1: It is for those reasons that community members went to 174 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:05,199 Speaker 1: his home at six am. We hope that Keith is 175 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: able to convince the two owners, currently sitting comfortably back 176 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 1: at home in Birmingham, that the current Atlanta Police Foundation 177 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 1: contract is untenable and there is an urgent need to 178 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:19,080 Speaker 1: cancel it. It could turn out that Keith personally is 179 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:23,480 Speaker 1: carrying to Brunt the pressure for his boss's decisions. Brassfield 180 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:26,640 Speaker 1: and Gory will eventually drop the Cops City project. Anonymous 181 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:31,360 Speaker 1: groups are developing new methods for disincentivizing the project. The 182 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 1: next day, on May twelve, a tightly packed crowd around 183 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 1: eight mask protesters converged on the Brassfield and Gory Atlanta 184 00:11:40,559 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: office in broad daylight. People holding banners and launching fireworks 185 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 1: arrived at the building, and force defenders covered the side 186 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:52,120 Speaker 1: of the office with stop Cops City graffiti and chanting 187 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:56,360 Speaker 1: will be Back as they left. Unicorn Riot reported that 188 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 1: five people were arrested following the action and booked on 189 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:03,680 Speaker 1: several charges, including some felonies. Charges were including riot and 190 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:08,079 Speaker 1: criminal damage to property and quote terroristic threats and acts. 191 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:11,760 Speaker 1: I know that some but possibly not all, people's charges 192 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:15,079 Speaker 1: got dropped, and the listed bond amount for some individuals 193 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 1: was extremely high, getting up to around fifty dollars just 194 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 1: for an individual. Nearing the end of the week of action. 195 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:26,560 Speaker 1: On Saturday, May eleven, a march to Defend the Forest 196 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:30,960 Speaker 1: took the streets in East Atlanta Village, led by local preschoolers. 197 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 1: There were some really nice signs and artwork done by kids. 198 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: The Defend the Forest twitter account posted some beautiful photos 199 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 1: of kids protests signs that says forest is life and 200 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:48,560 Speaker 1: love you trees stop, never cut down the trees allowed 201 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 1: with very very good art. It was very very pleasant 202 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: to see. A Few hours later, another march to Atlanta 203 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 1: at the top cop City drew around two d protesters 204 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 1: is After about an hour of marching, the crowd returned 205 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:06,840 Speaker 1: to Freedom Park, where they were then attacked by police. 206 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:10,080 Speaker 1: Without warning. Dozens of cop cars pulled up and police 207 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: helicopters loomed overhead. Armored cops were arresting people on the 208 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:18,440 Speaker 1: sidewalks for marching on the streets, for playing drums, or 209 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 1: for just standing in the wrong place. Atlanta police and 210 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:26,839 Speaker 1: Georgia State Patrol officers assaulted, shoved, and tackled multiple people, 211 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:31,600 Speaker 1: deployed tasers and threatened neighbors who filmed the arrests. One 212 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 1: person violently arrested was taken to the hospital for treatment. 213 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:39,199 Speaker 1: To defend the forest, twitter account posted quote at least 214 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:43,320 Speaker 1: seventeen arrests night by Atlanta Police Department. Spirits high as 215 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: the forest raves and the encampment grows outside the forest, 216 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 1: many stand vigil at the jail, welcoming arrestees as they 217 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:55,320 Speaker 1: are released. We are strong together. The forest unites us. 218 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:59,040 Speaker 1: The cops cannot divide us. Atlanta Police say that the 219 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 1: march was in violation of pedestrian laws, which is why 220 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:06,439 Speaker 1: they charged and started assaulting people on the sidewalk. And 221 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 1: that wraps up some of the Week of Action stuff. 222 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 1: I know there was a lot more things that happened, 223 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:15,560 Speaker 1: but trying to crime it all into a tight package 224 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:19,400 Speaker 1: was challenging. So that that was the general general week 225 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:23,800 Speaker 1: Week of Action vibes. But there is there's more. We 226 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 1: still We still have like half the episode to go 227 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:29,800 Speaker 1: because a lot, a lot else has happened in in 228 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:35,040 Speaker 1: the days since then. In the early morning on Monday 229 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: May sixteen, a week after the bulldozer descended on the forest, 230 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 1: accompanied by off duty cops acting as security, a home 231 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:47,000 Speaker 1: associated with Dodd Drilling LLC. Was painted with slogans including 232 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: Dodd Drilling, Stay Out, stop Cops City and drop a 233 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:55,480 Speaker 1: p D. A message for the homeowner associated with Dodd 234 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 1: Drilling was released, which you can read the full version 235 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 1: of online at scenes dot no lugs dot org. I'll 236 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 1: read some portions of it here. Quote. Last Monday, a 237 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 1: bulldozer with your logo forced its way into the Wolani 238 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:10,880 Speaker 1: Forest and left one hundred foot trail of destruction in 239 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:14,760 Speaker 1: its wake. Forced defenders responded quickly with rocks and rage, 240 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 1: but some damage was already done. Despite having no permit, 241 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:22,120 Speaker 1: you allowed Atlanta Police to use your equipment to intimidate 242 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 1: and injure the forest and its residents. Today, you know 243 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: what it's like to have your space invaded. You came 244 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 1: into our home, so we came to yours. Your private 245 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:34,280 Speaker 1: property is not as private as you may think. We 246 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 1: demand that you stay out of the Wolani Forest and 247 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 1: stopped working with Atlanta Police and Cops City contractors. To 248 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:44,120 Speaker 1: all others who would support Cops City, it might have 249 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 1: more costs than you anticipate, financial and otherwise. Many creatures 250 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 1: care deeply about this forest and are prepared to defend it. 251 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 1: Any partner of the a p D or contractor for 252 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 1: Cops City is our enemy and a potential target. The 253 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 1: will Annie Forest is not dying, it is being killed, 254 00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:05,160 Speaker 1: and those who are killing it have names and addresses. 255 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 1: A list of local Atlanta evil doers is available at 256 00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 1: stop reeves young dot com. The next day, on Tuesday, 257 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 1: May see Atlanta police, backed by other state and federal 258 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: law enforcement, including the CAB Police, Georgia State Patrol, the 259 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:26,200 Speaker 1: Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI, raided the South 260 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 1: Atlanta Forest. The raid came just days after the Week 261 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 1: of Action, which brought hundreds to the Atlanta Forest to 262 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 1: participate in workshops, plant gardens, watch films, and protest at 263 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: the homes of developers plotting the forests destruction. Shortly after 264 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:46,080 Speaker 1: the scheduled events ended, police gathered their forces to raid 265 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 1: the forest encampment. Police started staging at around nine am 266 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: on Tuesday and started coming in at around ten am. 267 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: Force offenders started mobilizing and calling for support. Cops blocked 268 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:02,720 Speaker 1: off the roads leading to the forest access points and 269 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:06,480 Speaker 1: told drivers stuck at the blockade that quote, we're opening 270 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:11,200 Speaker 1: up the site for construction. Soon, cops started arresting protesters 271 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:14,880 Speaker 1: that gathered in Entrenchment Creek Park and towed any car 272 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:19,199 Speaker 1: on the streets outside of the park. Helicopter circled the forest, 273 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:22,439 Speaker 1: trying to track the movement of forest offenders under the 274 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:26,840 Speaker 1: cover of the tree canopy. Police near occupied trees were 275 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 1: heard talking about quote flushing out people inside tree houses 276 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:34,560 Speaker 1: in the face of militant resistance. Police did manage to 277 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:39,119 Speaker 1: cut down trees and destroyed multiple treehouses, destroyed force defenders, 278 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:42,760 Speaker 1: personal belongings, and other protest infrastructure set up by the 279 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:46,320 Speaker 1: land defenders, all in an effort to allow contractors to 280 00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 1: begin development of the ninety million dollar Cops City project. 281 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:53,679 Speaker 1: On Twitter, the Defend the Atlanta Forest account posted quote 282 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 1: reports that the Atlanta Police and Georgia State Patrol are 283 00:17:57,040 --> 00:17:59,880 Speaker 1: chainsawing in an area of the old Atlanta Prison farm 284 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:03,400 Speaker 1: where people have occupied trees to Defend the Forest. Dozens 285 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:06,120 Speaker 1: of Forest Defenders moving in groups all over the woods 286 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:10,720 Speaker 1: throughout the raid. No arrests inside the forest reported so far, 287 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:15,160 Speaker 1: only from the perimeter at the public park. Police seem 288 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:19,440 Speaker 1: unwilling to pursue people through the forest. Swat rifles trained 289 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: on force defenders occupying a treehouse to stop Cops City. 290 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 1: The Defend the Forest twitter account also posted a video 291 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:30,600 Speaker 1: of a semitruck packed full of building supplies headed into 292 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:34,320 Speaker 1: the north boundary of the proposed Cops City site, where 293 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:38,199 Speaker 1: police were raiding the forest defense occupation. I'm gonna do 294 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:41,359 Speaker 1: a little quote from Unicorn Riot, who reported on the 295 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:45,240 Speaker 1: police raid. Quote. According to police, those committed to defending 296 00:18:45,280 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 1: the forest to put up a fight, pelting the officers 297 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 1: with rocks and what appeared to be a Molotov cocktail 298 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 1: was deployed along a fence line. In the wake of 299 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:57,199 Speaker 1: the raid, a truck barricade constructed months ago to protect 300 00:18:57,280 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: those occupying the forest from police incursions, showed signs of 301 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 1: having being set on fire. Flaming barricades are a common 302 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 1: tactic used by protesters around the world to push back 303 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:11,720 Speaker 1: against police unquote. Eventually, police let media enter a small 304 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:15,719 Speaker 1: contained area on the other side of the blockade. Police 305 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 1: wanted to talk with the multiple press outlets that had 306 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:20,720 Speaker 1: gathered near the site in an attempt to gain control 307 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:25,280 Speaker 1: of the media narrative. Atlanta Police Deputy Chief sheer Bomb, Yes, 308 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:27,520 Speaker 1: that's how I'm pronouncing it. I've no idea has actually said, 309 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 1: but I think it's sheer Bomb held an interview staged 310 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:34,320 Speaker 1: by the Public Affairs Office Overall, the goal seemed to 311 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:36,800 Speaker 1: be to control the media narrative by painting police as 312 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:39,840 Speaker 1: the heroes and the protesters as a very small group 313 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:44,119 Speaker 1: of outside agitators. After getting the statement from police, most 314 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:46,880 Speaker 1: media left the scene while the blockades were still up 315 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 1: on both sides of the forest access road. Deputy Chief 316 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:54,479 Speaker 1: sheer Bomb said that police escorted contractors into the forest 317 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 1: and preliminary work was being done. Police later specified that 318 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:01,679 Speaker 1: they were at this site to company contractors tasked with 319 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 1: removing some temporary illegal structures that were set up by protesters, 320 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 1: and that quote no one was hurt. Media framed the 321 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:14,360 Speaker 1: raid and subsequent arrests as the police cracking down on 322 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 1: a group of violent outside agitators, cops giving statements like quote, 323 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:21,679 Speaker 1: we will not be deterred by the acts of a 324 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 1: few that do not represent our community, and with local 325 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 1: news covering the incident like quote several protesters who are 326 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 1: arrested after they threw a Molotov cocktail at police as 327 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: officers raided a camp on the grounds of the planned 328 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:41,120 Speaker 1: Atlanta Police Departments training facility unquote, even though the arrests 329 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:43,959 Speaker 1: took place in a completely different section of the woods 330 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 1: where protesters were gathered openly in a public park and 331 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 1: actually happened before the cocktail was thrown. Yet there was 332 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:54,639 Speaker 1: a lot of attempts to link the arrests to the 333 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:58,439 Speaker 1: maltof cocktail, but you know, media, media just do that, 334 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: and they got hold up the story of of the 335 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:06,400 Speaker 1: of the cocktail and of the outside agitators attacking Atlanta 336 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:10,600 Speaker 1: police and it's not representing our community. Eight people were 337 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:15,320 Speaker 1: arrested and faced charges ranging from criminal trespassing to police obstruction. 338 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 1: Despite attempts by police to paint the movement as the 339 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:23,680 Speaker 1: work of quote outside agitators, while also working alongside of 340 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:27,600 Speaker 1: growing list of out of town law enforcement organizations, the 341 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 1: movement to oppose Cops City has been directly rooted within 342 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:36,120 Speaker 1: a broad localized opposition, whether that be with Atlanta based 343 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 1: organizations fighting against gentrification, local chapters of climate change protest organizations, 344 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:45,199 Speaker 1: or just anonymous individuals that reside across Atlanta, or the 345 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 1: indigenous people who have in setral connections to the land. 346 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:52,440 Speaker 1: Hours after the raid, there was a Atlanta community press 347 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:56,120 Speaker 1: conference put on at Entrenchment Creek Park, And I'm going 348 00:21:56,160 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 1: to read a statement that somebody gave at the press conference. 349 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:03,320 Speaker 1: Quote this is an attempt to demoralize a vibrant and 350 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:06,960 Speaker 1: diverse movement led by local community members against the replacement 351 00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:09,920 Speaker 1: of the largest urban tree canopy in the United States 352 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:13,120 Speaker 1: with the largest police training compound in the United States. 353 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:15,919 Speaker 1: The police will attempt to depict this movement as a 354 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:19,760 Speaker 1: small group of hard line activists. We are all neighbors 355 00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:22,199 Speaker 1: of the forest. We are intelligent people who know that 356 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:25,120 Speaker 1: the future of the world is on fire, and who 357 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:28,320 Speaker 1: are determined to act and to defend what remains to 358 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 1: sustain life in this city and on this planet. The 359 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:34,840 Speaker 1: city is only going to get hotter, Wrench is only 360 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:37,720 Speaker 1: going to get more expensive. Food and gas prices are 361 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 1: only rising. The city has no answers for this except 362 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:44,239 Speaker 1: for a more militarized police force. You can't prop up 363 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:48,480 Speaker 1: a free society with violence alone. The next day, protesters 364 00:22:48,520 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 1: from Saturday's Stop Cop City march had court and all 365 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:57,200 Speaker 1: of their charges were dropped. Atlanta police is just desperate 366 00:22:57,320 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 1: to get a good boogeyman to blame any potential uprising on, 367 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 1: and they're not being super successful and letting any of 368 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:08,880 Speaker 1: these charges stick. There was this really great point made 369 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:11,440 Speaker 1: by this person named Audi Khali and was going to 370 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:14,439 Speaker 1: quote from a thread they posted quote. Thirty seven arrests 371 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:17,480 Speaker 1: were made in relation to the decentralized Defend the Atlanta 372 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:21,080 Speaker 1: Force movement over the past weeks, mostly for made up 373 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:25,480 Speaker 1: jaywalking charges, but only twelve had their legal identities revealed 374 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 1: to corporate media and right wing doctors. Why all twelve 375 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 1: protesters who were docked these past couple of weeks were 376 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:37,199 Speaker 1: said to be from out of state. When journalists asked 377 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:41,639 Speaker 1: if other protesters had Georgia residences, answers were denied. The 378 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 1: answer to why is simple, These twelve currently possessed out 379 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:49,320 Speaker 1: of state I das and appeared white, passing the other 380 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:53,800 Speaker 1: twenty four arrestees might not necessarily fit these categories. Noticed 381 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: that right wing troll Andy no omitted the ages of 382 00:23:56,640 --> 00:23:59,240 Speaker 1: the arrestees who are not in their twenties as well. 383 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:02,800 Speaker 1: This is another iteration of the outside educator and narrative 384 00:24:03,040 --> 00:24:08,640 Speaker 1: and an attempt to delegitimize resistance while denying local agency unquote. 385 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:11,560 Speaker 1: Police are continuing to target stop cops to new protesters 386 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:16,480 Speaker 1: with extremely high bales. Just getting nine protesters released during 387 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:20,080 Speaker 1: one week cost over a hundred thousand dollars, So please, 388 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:24,040 Speaker 1: if you're able to consider donating to the Atlanta Solidarity Fund. 389 00:24:24,359 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 1: There will will be links in the description. So that 390 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:30,640 Speaker 1: was the raid that took place a few weeks ago. 391 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:34,800 Speaker 1: Six tree houses were destroyed. And those tree houses weren't 392 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:36,920 Speaker 1: just like tree sets to defend the forest. These were 393 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:39,600 Speaker 1: also like people's homes like that that that's where people 394 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:43,400 Speaker 1: were living. Uh so six six of those were destroyed. 395 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:49,440 Speaker 1: Multiple force defenders, personal belongings were stolen or just dismantled 396 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:53,800 Speaker 1: and decimated by the cops. And overall the raid was 397 00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:55,760 Speaker 1: pretty bad. I mean, it's it kind of it kind 398 00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:58,960 Speaker 1: of sucked. We will talk about what has happened since 399 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:01,960 Speaker 1: the raid. Would be come back from a little at break, 400 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:16,239 Speaker 1: all right, we are back after the raid. Officers from 401 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:21,399 Speaker 1: Atlanta Police Departments Zone three Field Investigations Team discussed using 402 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:26,159 Speaker 1: deadly force against protesters if they used molotov cocktails to 403 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:30,040 Speaker 1: defend themselves from a raid. According to scanner audio publicized 404 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:34,160 Speaker 1: by activists, listen closely for like thirty seconds to hear 405 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:37,600 Speaker 1: their conversation discussing deadly FORCEY good thing we didn't get 406 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:40,119 Speaker 1: out with dental today. I don't do well with fire. 407 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:45,399 Speaker 1: Oh yeah right, hold you deadly fourth encounter. Wait, whatever 408 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 1: doing with fire, That's why I brought it up. I 409 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 1: was saying, as well, as long as we're all that 410 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:59,640 Speaker 1: they paid cockill deadly fourth encounter, you liar, the cock 411 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:06,959 Speaker 1: fill have them at the road, the treehow they had 412 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:10,720 Speaker 1: up they had cars like on it, people coming in 413 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:19,960 Speaker 1: serious the protest against COPT. Sure, So I'm just gonna 414 00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 1: reread one little section in case it was hard to hear. 415 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 1: Quote I told you deadly force encounter. That's why I 416 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:28,119 Speaker 1: brought it up. As long as we're on the same page, 417 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 1: I'm atop cocktail is the deadly force encounter unquote. So 418 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:35,560 Speaker 1: a deadly force encounter is a situation where officers are 419 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:38,760 Speaker 1: legally allowed to shoot to kill. Basically, what this scanner 420 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 1: audio insinuates is that police are preparing or thinking about 421 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:47,000 Speaker 1: just killing people when molotov cocktails are deployed. So that's 422 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:50,040 Speaker 1: a thing. Also, it's a little interesting that police themselves 423 00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:53,480 Speaker 1: referred to the project as cops City, But yeah, keeping 424 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:56,280 Speaker 1: track of scanner audio has been a big part of 425 00:26:56,560 --> 00:27:00,320 Speaker 1: the not on the ground portion of the movement being 426 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:04,160 Speaker 1: all to track police communications, police locations all using open 427 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:09,320 Speaker 1: source information, and tops are really scared and paranoid when 428 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 1: it comes to stuff around the forest and just don't 429 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:14,320 Speaker 1: seem to be able to grasp the idea of a 430 00:27:14,359 --> 00:27:18,400 Speaker 1: decentralized resistance movement that is capable of a diversity of tactics, 431 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:22,480 Speaker 1: including militant ones. There's this other scanner audio that was 432 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:28,879 Speaker 1: released displaying Atlanta police's ignorance, cowardice, and paranoia related to 433 00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:33,560 Speaker 1: what they believe is a group dubbed Black Flag Atlanta. Hey, 434 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 1: you guys gotta be carefully. Had a um to the cab. 435 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 1: Guys are sitting in a van and they they attacked 436 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:42,879 Speaker 1: the van or you know, knocking windows out with flatting 437 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:44,920 Speaker 1: attires and stuff. But they're supposed to be a group 438 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:49,240 Speaker 1: called a Black Flag Atlanta that are targeting police and 439 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:51,840 Speaker 1: they have an app and stuff that can monitor our 440 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:56,439 Speaker 1: vehicles and shows about patrol cars are sitting at with 441 00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:59,920 Speaker 1: lab updates. You know, you know, you know, they could 442 00:27:59,920 --> 00:28:02,760 Speaker 1: be jumping the pointing something or you know, set a 443 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:07,240 Speaker 1: trap or damaged propery ands out in the range. You said, 444 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:10,040 Speaker 1: they gotta what's the name of that? I just pulled 445 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:12,359 Speaker 1: back round find it. But the group is called Black 446 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:16,920 Speaker 1: Flag Atlanta. So the so called group that police refer 447 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:21,119 Speaker 1: to as black Flag Atlanta is likely just referring to 448 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:26,560 Speaker 1: a hobbyist website that simply collects on the ground reports 449 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:30,840 Speaker 1: and open source police scanner information. The website is an 450 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:34,359 Speaker 1: open resource for anyone to use. It's not a group 451 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 1: of people. It's just a random online tool that lets 452 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:41,880 Speaker 1: you listen to scanner audio. The cops mentioned that they're 453 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:45,800 Speaker 1: afraid because of the actions of some anonymous individuals who 454 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:49,080 Speaker 1: surrounded a law enforcement vehicle and damaged it while officers 455 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:52,400 Speaker 1: were inside just sitting terrified, and then did the same 456 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:56,200 Speaker 1: to a juvenile detention facility. Van I discussed the details 457 00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:59,480 Speaker 1: of that direct action earlier in this episode, when anonymous 458 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:03,000 Speaker 1: people through rocks and slash tires of those law enforcement vehicles. 459 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:07,080 Speaker 1: Quoting from an anonymous statement on scenes dot no blogs quote, 460 00:29:07,320 --> 00:29:10,160 Speaker 1: the cops believe that black Flag Atlanta is a group 461 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:13,320 Speaker 1: that tracks and monitors cops and their locations around the 462 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:17,000 Speaker 1: forest and works to attack them. This is laughably wrong. 463 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:20,680 Speaker 1: Rather than understanding that our power comes from open source intelligence, 464 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:25,120 Speaker 1: horizontal organizing, and transparency, they have conjured up a shadowy 465 00:29:25,240 --> 00:29:29,000 Speaker 1: organization that organizes hits on police officers and publishes their 466 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:34,240 Speaker 1: targets right beforehand. Unquote, cops really just don't seem to 467 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:38,120 Speaker 1: have a clue on what's what's actually going on um 468 00:29:38,240 --> 00:29:43,440 Speaker 1: or how any types of decentralized infrastructure works, or how 469 00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:48,360 Speaker 1: movements are really operated. It is an interesting thing to see. 470 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:52,120 Speaker 1: But scared cops are also dangerous cops, as we just 471 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:56,040 Speaker 1: mentioned about them planning to use lethal force if there's 472 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:59,240 Speaker 1: a multip cocktail in the area right when cops are scared. 473 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:03,560 Speaker 1: That's not necessarily always a good thing. Um. It just 474 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:06,720 Speaker 1: you know, a lot of police training is based on 475 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:11,320 Speaker 1: being afraid and then using deadly force if you are afraid. 476 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 1: So it's just a thing to think about. I'm not 477 00:30:15,040 --> 00:30:17,520 Speaker 1: I'm not I'm not making any like commentary here. I'm 478 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:20,760 Speaker 1: just saying, yeah, cops seem really scared, and that can 479 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:24,200 Speaker 1: be good. It also can be dangerous. I'm now going 480 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:27,280 Speaker 1: to talk a bit about solidarity actions, because you know, 481 00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:30,240 Speaker 1: not everyone's able to go to Atlanta, even if even 482 00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:31,720 Speaker 1: if they would like to go to land and help 483 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:34,280 Speaker 1: to help participate, some people just aren't able to. But 484 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:38,200 Speaker 1: that doesn't mean people are unable to assist in the movement. 485 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:41,560 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do a little quote from Unicorn Riot quote. 486 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:45,160 Speaker 1: In recent weeks, autonomous attacks in solidarity with efforts to 487 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:48,640 Speaker 1: defend the Atlanta Forest have occurred throughout the country, according 488 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:52,440 Speaker 1: to a website that tracks such actions, One repeated target 489 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:56,239 Speaker 1: has been at Las Technical Consultants, the apparent company of 490 00:30:56,320 --> 00:31:00,200 Speaker 1: Long Engineering, a subcontractor of the Cops City project, which 491 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:03,880 Speaker 1: had its windows of its office smashed in Albany, New York, 492 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 1: in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it's building tag with the graffiti 493 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:12,600 Speaker 1: in Highland, Indiana. The website also received reports of attacks 494 00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:15,160 Speaker 1: on Bank of America, which donates money to the police 495 00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:19,320 Speaker 1: foundations across the country, including the Atlanta Police Foundation. Attacks 496 00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:24,720 Speaker 1: were reported in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Portland's Enemy Appolis unquote. And 497 00:31:24,760 --> 00:31:27,120 Speaker 1: I'm going to just go through a list of solidarity 498 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:31,160 Speaker 1: actions that have happened in May and now up into June. 499 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:34,920 Speaker 1: Most of these were posted on scenes dot no blogs 500 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:38,120 Speaker 1: that seems to be the main site for anonymously posting 501 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:41,920 Speaker 1: communication or report backs. You can find guides to how 502 00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:44,920 Speaker 1: to do so with more Internet security on websites like 503 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:48,880 Speaker 1: Scenes and websites like Warrior up. So Anyway, here's just 504 00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:51,440 Speaker 1: a list of little communications that have been released related 505 00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:54,760 Speaker 1: to solidarity actions that have taken place in the past month. Quote. 506 00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:58,480 Speaker 1: On the evening of May tenth, I smashed seven windows 507 00:31:58,520 --> 00:32:01,880 Speaker 1: at the office building where the northeast offices of Atlas 508 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:05,920 Speaker 1: are located in Albany, New York. I also tagged Atlas 509 00:32:06,160 --> 00:32:10,320 Speaker 1: stopped destroying the Atlanta Forest, destroying conscience of acres of 510 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:14,040 Speaker 1: forest during the sixth greatest mass extinction of species. To 511 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:17,280 Speaker 1: build a police training facility following one of the largest 512 00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:21,880 Speaker 1: anti police uprisings in decades is fucking disgusting with his vandalism. 513 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:23,920 Speaker 1: I urge Atlas to do the right thing and to 514 00:32:24,120 --> 00:32:26,760 Speaker 1: drop any contracts with brass Field and Gory and the 515 00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:30,720 Speaker 1: Cops City project. During the week of Action, the brass 516 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 1: Field and Gory Corporate HQ in Birmingham, Alabama was targeted. 517 00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:38,200 Speaker 1: According to a strongly worded anonymous statement published on scenes. 518 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:41,640 Speaker 1: The report back reads quote, on the morning of the 519 00:32:41,720 --> 00:32:44,680 Speaker 1: thirte the windows and glass doors to the brass Field 520 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:48,760 Speaker 1: and Gory Corporate HQ were smashed. The words drop Cops 521 00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:52,200 Speaker 1: City or else were spray painted on the windows. Paint 522 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:54,840 Speaker 1: was applied to the front sign. Let it serve as 523 00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:57,560 Speaker 1: a warning to the executives at brass Field and Gory. 524 00:32:57,600 --> 00:32:59,600 Speaker 1: We know where you work and we know where you sleep. 525 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:04,080 Speaker 1: You're houses could be next Keith Johnson Miller, George James Gory. 526 00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:08,160 Speaker 1: You will drop this contract eventually. Why wait to see 527 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:11,600 Speaker 1: how far will go? In solidarity with a struggle in 528 00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:15,680 Speaker 1: Atlanta unquote. And then just a few days ago, construction 529 00:33:15,720 --> 00:33:19,720 Speaker 1: offices in Pennsylvania were hit the community a was short 530 00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:24,320 Speaker 1: and sweet just reads quote. Door windows smashed and building 531 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:28,640 Speaker 1: tagged at the northeast office of Atlas Technical Consultants at 532 00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:32,920 Speaker 1: two one to six Fillmore Avenue in Erie, Pennsylvania. Stop 533 00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:37,280 Speaker 1: Cops City, Defend the Atlanta Forest and Forests Everywhere. A 534 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:40,719 Speaker 1: few days ago, on May thirty one, there was a 535 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:45,480 Speaker 1: massive police mobilization involving helicopters and a road checkpoint around 536 00:33:45,520 --> 00:33:48,680 Speaker 1: the Atlanta Forest at the proposed Cops City site. According 537 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:52,360 Speaker 1: to reports, Atlanta Police Department accompanied Long Engineering, who seemingly 538 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:56,400 Speaker 1: we're surveying for a perimeter fence. No arrests were reported. 539 00:33:56,880 --> 00:33:59,560 Speaker 1: Long Engineering, as we've stated, is owned by Atlas Technical 540 00:33:59,560 --> 00:34:02,560 Speaker 1: Consultant and it's currently being contracted by Brassfield and Gory, 541 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:06,960 Speaker 1: the Atlanta Police Foundation's general contractor. The Soft Reeves Young 542 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:10,600 Speaker 1: campaign released a statement discussing the events of the past 543 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:14,000 Speaker 1: few days quote. On May thirty one and June one, 544 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:17,720 Speaker 1: Brassfield and Gory subcontractor Long Engineering entered the old Atlanta 545 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:21,600 Speaker 1: prison farm with chainsaws and heavy machinery. They're cutting down 546 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:24,080 Speaker 1: trees in order to build a fence around the zone. 547 00:34:24,560 --> 00:34:27,200 Speaker 1: This is where the Police Foundation believes they will build 548 00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:30,920 Speaker 1: the Cops City Training Compound. They hope to prevent the 549 00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:35,160 Speaker 1: community from seeing what they are doing. Long Engineering, owned 550 00:34:35,160 --> 00:34:37,560 Speaker 1: by a man named Shephard Long of ken Saw, Georgia, 551 00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:41,640 Speaker 1: has already participated in destructive acts in the South River Forest. 552 00:34:42,160 --> 00:34:44,759 Speaker 1: For this, they have become the object of a nationwide 553 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:49,000 Speaker 1: pressure campaign by activists and communities organizing to oppose police 554 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:53,720 Speaker 1: militarization and climate change. Long is a subsidy of Atlas 555 00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:58,280 Speaker 1: Technical Consultants. If activists and community members can convince Brassfield 556 00:34:58,280 --> 00:35:01,240 Speaker 1: and Gory to drop their contract with the Atlanta Police Foundation, 557 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:05,279 Speaker 1: the project could lose funding and fall apart. Brass Field 558 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:09,400 Speaker 1: and Gory uses many subcontractors to do their projects, including 559 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:14,920 Speaker 1: Atlas Technical Consultants subsidy Long Engineering. By encouraging Long Engineering 560 00:35:14,920 --> 00:35:17,760 Speaker 1: to drop the contract with Brassfield and Gory, we encourage 561 00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:21,000 Speaker 1: Brassfield and Gory to drop their contract with cops. City. 562 00:35:21,239 --> 00:35:25,000 Speaker 1: Climate collapse and police militarization are not abstract processes so 563 00:35:25,080 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 1: that nobody can stop. They happen because of observable and 564 00:35:28,600 --> 00:35:31,880 Speaker 1: preventable reasons. If you care about police brutality, if you 565 00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:34,840 Speaker 1: want to stop climate change, this is your chance to 566 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:38,440 Speaker 1: do something unquote. And I do think there are a 567 00:35:38,440 --> 00:35:42,440 Speaker 1: lot of signs that people actually can make actual impacts. 568 00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:47,400 Speaker 1: At the last community Stakeholder Advisory meeting, Atlanta Assistant police 569 00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:50,839 Speaker 1: Chief Darien schnear Bomb said that construction plans could be 570 00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:54,600 Speaker 1: quote delayed or deferred because of the actions of a 571 00:35:54,800 --> 00:35:58,480 Speaker 1: very few unquote, and said that this is why police 572 00:35:58,480 --> 00:36:02,600 Speaker 1: agencies are working to quote addressed criminal protests very quickly 573 00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:07,120 Speaker 1: so it doesn't get into that realm unquote. And on 574 00:36:07,160 --> 00:36:10,640 Speaker 1: the day I record this, which is June second, earlier 575 00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:14,360 Speaker 1: this morning to police chased force defenders into the woods 576 00:36:14,480 --> 00:36:18,520 Speaker 1: near a work site and found a camp ten force 577 00:36:18,560 --> 00:36:22,080 Speaker 1: defenders confronted and surrounded a bulldozer that was in the woods, 578 00:36:22,120 --> 00:36:26,040 Speaker 1: resulting in a work stoppage. On a communicate released online 579 00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:30,800 Speaker 1: at scenes read quote work stopped Today Thursday, June second, 580 00:36:30,840 --> 00:36:33,640 Speaker 1: as a group of ten Force Defenders confronted a bulldozer 581 00:36:33,680 --> 00:36:37,840 Speaker 1: in the forest just west of the Duvy today forcet 582 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:41,759 Speaker 1: defenders launched rocks and fireworks, yelling get the funk out 583 00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:45,680 Speaker 1: of the woods. As the machine was attacked. Four to 584 00:36:45,760 --> 00:36:49,080 Speaker 1: five workers, likely with long engineering, hid behind the bulldozer 585 00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:53,320 Speaker 1: while one Atlanta Police officer stood idly with his hands 586 00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:57,120 Speaker 1: on his hips. Force defenders retreated into the woods howling. 587 00:36:57,320 --> 00:37:00,319 Speaker 1: No arrests were made. We call upon any one who 588 00:37:00,320 --> 00:37:02,800 Speaker 1: wants to defend the forest and stop cops City to 589 00:37:02,840 --> 00:37:07,120 Speaker 1: support the struggle by sewing chaos along the perimeter, plan 590 00:37:07,239 --> 00:37:10,520 Speaker 1: a slow moving car caravan on Constitution Road, or a 591 00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:14,640 Speaker 1: rally at the juvie workers and pigs. We repeat, stay 592 00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:18,680 Speaker 1: the funk out of the woods, unquote. And also today 593 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:22,960 Speaker 1: a new timeline was released detailing the construction plans for 594 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:26,160 Speaker 1: a cop city. The Atlanta Police Foundation plans to begin 595 00:37:26,200 --> 00:37:30,200 Speaker 1: cutting down massive swaths of trees in about two weeks. 596 00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:34,520 Speaker 1: The clearing is planned for nearly of the four hundred 597 00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:38,680 Speaker 1: acre property, so defour stations seems to be just two 598 00:37:38,719 --> 00:37:41,920 Speaker 1: weeks away now. Based on the full site plans that 599 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:45,560 Speaker 1: are viewable online, I will link the plans in the 600 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:48,319 Speaker 1: show notes, along with the stop Reeves Young campaign, which 601 00:37:48,400 --> 00:37:53,440 Speaker 1: details ways to assist like calling campaigns and random stuff 602 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:56,880 Speaker 1: that is maybe more possible from afar. But the stop 603 00:37:56,880 --> 00:37:59,000 Speaker 1: cop City project is going to continue all throughout the 604 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:02,960 Speaker 1: summer and seems to have no sign of cooling down. 605 00:38:03,320 --> 00:38:05,680 Speaker 1: It is only it is only heating up as the 606 00:38:05,719 --> 00:38:08,680 Speaker 1: summer gets hotter. So well the stuff in the forest 607 00:38:09,160 --> 00:38:12,600 Speaker 1: in more ways than one, But anyway, that doesn't for us. Today. 608 00:38:12,760 --> 00:38:14,719 Speaker 1: You can check out stop reeve Zone dot com for 609 00:38:14,760 --> 00:38:17,440 Speaker 1: the calling campaign and for the list of quote evil 610 00:38:17,480 --> 00:38:23,000 Speaker 1: doers that are working to DeForest sections of the Atlanta 611 00:38:23,360 --> 00:38:27,880 Speaker 1: South River Forest. You can go to scenes dot no 612 00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:31,520 Speaker 1: blogs dot org to read communicates and report backs, and 613 00:38:31,560 --> 00:38:33,880 Speaker 1: I'll put links for the Atlanta Soliday Ality Fund in 614 00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:38,399 Speaker 1: the description as well. See you on the other side. 615 00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:43,560 Speaker 1: It Could Happen Here is a production of cool Zone Media. 616 00:38:43,760 --> 00:38:46,440 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from cool Zone Media, visit our website 617 00:38:46,480 --> 00:38:48,600 Speaker 1: cool zone media dot com, or check us out on 618 00:38:48,640 --> 00:38:51,160 Speaker 1: the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 619 00:38:51,239 --> 00:38:54,000 Speaker 1: listen to podcasts. You can find sources for It Could 620 00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:57,000 Speaker 1: Happen Here, updated monthly at cool Zone media dot com. 621 00:38:57,080 --> 00:38:59,000 Speaker 1: Slash sources, thanks for listening.