1 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 1: This summer has been a critical junction in the fight 2 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,399 Speaker 1: against copp City, the Atlanta Police Foundation's massive proposed training 3 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: facility in de Cab County, which is slated to begin 4 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: construction later this very month. The last week of action 5 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: in March of twenty twenty three drew in over a 6 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,480 Speaker 1: thousand people against cop City and saw hundreds of forest 7 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 1: defenders attack in mass the construction equipment and police infrastructure 8 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: stored on the site in a pretty successful action. The 9 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: police repression came down hard, but the militancy of the 10 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:43,240 Speaker 1: force defenders left a pretty impressionable mark. Later that month, 11 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 1: to Cab County closed and barricaded in Trenchman Creek Park 12 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: citing public safety concerns and allegedly found booby traps. Police 13 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: did an exhaustive sweep of the forest and established a 14 00:00:56,360 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 1: relatively firm control of the territory. After a year and 15 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: a half of there being a nearly continuous presence in 16 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:07,680 Speaker 1: the Mulani by forest vendors, now the police began a 17 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 1: forest occupation of their own. During the month that followed, 18 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,559 Speaker 1: the Atlanta Police Foundation or the APF, rushed to clear 19 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: cut around ninety acres of the Mulani Forest, seemingly in 20 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: a ploy to show investors and the city that they 21 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:26,120 Speaker 1: are committed to the project and to crush the spirits 22 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:29,839 Speaker 1: of those who spent years opposing the facility and defending 23 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 1: the forest. People then set their sights on the Atlanta 24 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: City Council, who in early June was to vote on 25 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 1: whether or not to provide taxpayer funding for the APF's project. 26 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:46,279 Speaker 1: Over twenty three hours of public comment across multiple days, 27 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 1: almost universally against copp City, culminated at the June fifth 28 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 1: City Council meeting, which lasted into the early hours of 29 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: the next morning. Despite the record breaking turnout opposing the 30 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 1: facility in the earth early morning of Tuesday, June sixth, 31 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: the Lanta City Council voted eleven to four in favor 32 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 1: of the sixty seven million dollar funding package to build 33 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: cop City. The next day, a group of community organizers 34 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:17,080 Speaker 1: announced a referendum campaign to collect tens of thousands of 35 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:21,080 Speaker 1: petition signatures from Atlanta voters to put the cop City 36 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 1: land lease on the upcoming ballot. City council approving public 37 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: funds for cop City was certainly disappointing, but not quite unexpected, 38 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 1: because another week of action to Stop Cop City was 39 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 1: already planned for later that same month. This is it 40 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 1: could happen here. I'm Garrison Davis. In this three part series, 41 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 1: I'll be talking about what's been happening in Atlanta this 42 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:49,639 Speaker 1: summer to Stop cop City. If you want to hear 43 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: more about the background of this movement. In the month 44 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 1: of May, we put out a five part series on 45 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: the Week of Action from that spring, along with the 46 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:01,119 Speaker 1: few other previous Defend the Forest, Stop Cup City mini 47 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 1: series published over the course of the last year and 48 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 1: a half. With much of the forest already destroyed and 49 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 1: no easy access to Entrenchment Creek Park, this week of 50 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 1: action in June was set to be very unlike any 51 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:17,920 Speaker 1: that had come before. The kickoff rally was to begin 52 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 1: on Saturday, June twenty fourth at Brownwood Park in East Atlanta. 53 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: I made my way there and met up with Matt 54 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,640 Speaker 1: from the Atlantic Community Press Collective. My first feeling walking 55 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 1: in is like it felt very society of the spectacle 56 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:34,359 Speaker 1: in terms of like the ratio of cameras to participants 57 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 1: was the most extreme that I've really ever ever seen 58 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: for like, you know, a week of action. 59 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 2: I think there was there was outside of like a 60 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 2: press conference. 61 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, and like it felt like there was so many 62 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 1: just cameras looming around, and it's like it's like there's 63 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 1: so many people trying to make a similar frum of 64 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: the movements to sell back to other people at this 65 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 1: point in time, and like there's just a very like 66 00:03:56,840 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: that's just a very large, pervasive feeling, and that combined 67 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 1: with the more of the more liberalization of certain certain aspects, 68 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 1: again compared to the last week of action, which felt 69 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 1: there was a strong militant continuent. 70 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 2: And like the liberals continued was still there if you will. 71 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:17,040 Speaker 1: Burn it, And that's not the vibe here. That's not 72 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 1: the vibe here. There's definitely a big separation in terms 73 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 1: of what types of people at what side of the park. 74 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 3: Right now, there's a more like more like forested section 75 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 3: of the park with a creek. 76 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 1: On the south side, which is where people are setting 77 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 1: up some camping sites had a kitchen, that's where the 78 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 1: well content is. And then there's the other side of 79 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:35,360 Speaker 1: the park that has like the rec center and the playground, 80 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: which seems more like family friendly stuff. 81 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, there are kids there, there's the popcorn setup. 82 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 1: It's more like there is a Bounty House, which is 83 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:43,799 Speaker 1: great return. 84 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 3: They couldn't, they couldn't keep this moving down. 85 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 4: I won't. 86 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: I won't rest until is destroyed, until the conty every 87 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 1: Mounty Castle is in Atlanta. 88 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 3: Till till every Bounty Castle is to that is. 89 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 2: That is the new Movement's so good. 90 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 1: In contrast to the last kickoff rally at Gresham Park, 91 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 1: which felt very unified, this time there was a noticeable 92 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:13,840 Speaker 1: separation in terms of what types of people are on 93 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: the two sides of the park. People wearing camouflage and 94 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:20,279 Speaker 1: masks were more situated on the south side of the 95 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: park where tents were being set up, versus people by 96 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:26,240 Speaker 1: the playground who were going around with the referendum signup 97 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 1: sheet and where all the food was being handed out. 98 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:31,280 Speaker 3: It's so separated the game. 99 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:34,040 Speaker 4: No, the two groups. 100 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 1: Cannot cannot, cannot count see each other and even like 101 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:38,359 Speaker 1: people like. 102 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 3: Yeah. 103 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 1: Turnout seemed to be a bit lower than some people expected, 104 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:47,920 Speaker 1: and it was definitely much lower compared to the previous 105 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:51,720 Speaker 1: few weeks of action and overall the rally was very 106 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 1: muted and lacked a sense of energy or focus. Like 107 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:57,680 Speaker 1: the rallies, was start at eleven, which kind of kind 108 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,720 Speaker 1: of think nothing happened like it just it felt very directtionless. 109 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 1: I felt like people do not quite know why they 110 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:04,600 Speaker 1: were there at this point in. 111 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:09,480 Speaker 2: Times, almost Nune before anyone really spoke on the bullhorn, 112 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:14,480 Speaker 2: and the music didn't start until noon, and then what 113 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 2: was it like a half hour ago, so like twelve 114 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 2: thirty probably when when the first like speaker said anything 115 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 2: from the Faith Coalition. 116 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 3: I don't know. 117 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,160 Speaker 1: So far, the rally kind of feels like a microcosmum 118 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 1: of the entire movement at this point, just not quite 119 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 1: sure where to direct the energy to. 120 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 3: There's a feeling that like people should do. 121 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 1: Something, but they don't quite know how to. They haven't 122 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 1: decided how that should be directed yet, and so like 123 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 1: there's some people showing up, but it's just like it 124 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:42,840 Speaker 1: feels kind of stagnant, and like there's this there's this 125 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:44,279 Speaker 1: need to evolve. 126 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 3: Right now, and I don't know. 127 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:50,040 Speaker 1: I think maybe people got burnt out from the city 128 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 1: council things and there's a lot of energy being. 129 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,280 Speaker 3: Pumped into that. Yeah, and then I guess some people. 130 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 2: People like three weeks of pushing energy. 131 00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 1: And that that was only like two weeks ago, like 132 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 1: that that's still very recently three weeks it still feels 133 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:05,800 Speaker 1: it still feels very raw. Walking down the pathway on 134 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:08,480 Speaker 1: the south side of Brownwood you can see people setting 135 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 1: up tents, carrying camping supplies and big jugs of water. 136 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:15,760 Speaker 1: Other people were assembling a makeshift kitchen in the tree line, 137 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 1: and all of that was physically reminiscent of the last 138 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: week of action. But being four miles away from the 139 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 1: forest at Brownwood Park instead of the Wailani impacted the 140 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: feeling on the ground. We're both were so far away 141 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 1: from the forest, but there's like that separation of space, 142 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:34,440 Speaker 1: like it feels so distant. 143 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 2: And distant, even more than than Gresham Park, even more Gresham, 144 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 2: Like if this were happening in Gresham Park, I think 145 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 2: that might even be a different feeling. Yeah, because at 146 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 2: least you're attached to the Leilani. 147 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: There was more determination on like the south side of 148 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: of the park. 149 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 3: And you could feel like the people want at least 150 00:07:57,480 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 3: people want to do something physically, and they were. 151 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 1: But it's even still unclear how it's going to get 152 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 1: directed towards, like like what is this to bring. 153 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 3: To stop prop city right now? Like that is and 154 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 3: that's the. 155 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 1: Big thing is like people are trying to figure that out, 156 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 1: and there's people here, but like what are what are 157 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 1: people actually going to be doing? 158 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:19,480 Speaker 2: Like that's that's the question that is You're going to 159 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 2: be unanswered at least today. 160 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 1: I would say the last Week of Action in March 161 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 1: was very important in terms of setting the stage for 162 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 1: what the next few months would look like. The direct 163 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:34,560 Speaker 1: action that happened on Sunday during the music festival was 164 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:39,440 Speaker 1: very important and successful, but also carried large ramifications for 165 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 1: how the rest of the movement would be shaped in 166 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 1: terms of the police repression and increase police presence in 167 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: the forest. The weeks of Action definitely have this ability 168 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: to affect how the movement as a whole evolves in 169 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:57,319 Speaker 1: the subsequent months. On Saturday, there were worries that if 170 00:08:57,360 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: things were simply going to continue to be like the 171 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: kickoff rally, that wouldn't be a positive direction and would 172 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:07,160 Speaker 1: be a bad sign. It's just so, I mean, it's 173 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:08,839 Speaker 1: hard not to convey this to the to the last 174 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:11,679 Speaker 1: Week of Action kickoff rally at Gresham, which is felt 175 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:14,640 Speaker 1: so different like that there was like almost ten times 176 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:17,600 Speaker 1: as many people. There was like a feeling of like motion, 177 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 1: There was a feeling of like we can, we have 178 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 1: we have to go do a thing, and we're gonna 179 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 1: do it no matter what, Like we don't know it's 180 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 1: gonna be on the other side of the tunnel, but 181 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 1: we're going there to do it anyway. 182 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:27,680 Speaker 2: We're gonna find it out together. 183 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:30,280 Speaker 1: And there was that was a lot of determination, and 184 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:31,679 Speaker 1: then there was a lot of like there was like 185 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: a pointedness, like they knew where they were going, and 186 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:39,160 Speaker 1: this does not It lacks that pointedness. It feels like 187 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: people aren't quite sure why they're here or what to 188 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:44,320 Speaker 1: do at this point in time. And if the movement 189 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 1: wants to be able to continue in its goals, it 190 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:48,440 Speaker 1: has to find some way to evolve in these next 191 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 1: two months as construction is going to ramp up. 192 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 3: And I guess this this week will kind of. 193 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 2: Will the bell weather either well, either a bell weather 194 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 2: or a learning experience. Yeah, it might not be any 195 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 2: sort of death now, but it will have to be 196 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:07,080 Speaker 2: a learning experience probably. 197 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:08,080 Speaker 3: Yeah. 198 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 1: That's that's kind of most of most of my thoughts 199 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 1: so far based on walking through both places. 200 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:16,120 Speaker 3: There's just not much else talk looks and how much 201 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 3: is happening, Like it soon. 202 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 1: Enough However, other things did start happening thanks to the 203 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 1: Atlanta Police Department, but throughout that afternoon things remained mostly 204 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:28,960 Speaker 1: low key, and as the day went on, the gathering 205 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 1: at Brownwood Park turned into a community barbecue and people 206 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 1: started to get a much more clear idea of what 207 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 1: the expectations for that day were. As people settled into 208 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 1: the park, there ceased to be any big anticipation for 209 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:45,120 Speaker 1: what everyone was going to be doing that first day. 210 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:47,680 Speaker 1: There wasn't supposed to be a vigil for Tortighita in 211 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:51,680 Speaker 1: the park that evening, which was interrupted by Atlanta Police 212 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 1: officers who swept through the park issuing a quote unquote 213 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 1: friendly reminder that the park closed at eleven PM. 214 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:00,120 Speaker 4: All right, it's around eight thirty. 215 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 1: How about forty police officers just walked through Brownwood Park 216 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 1: telling people that are gathered here that the park closes 217 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 1: at eleven and everyone's basically anticipating the police are going 218 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:10,559 Speaker 1: to try to sweep the entirety of the park, including 219 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:13,320 Speaker 1: the sections where people are trying to camp out. Around 220 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:16,960 Speaker 1: eleven PM, the cops were walking south through the park 221 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 1: as the crowd was walking and chanting along the way. 222 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:26,599 Speaker 1: As well, cops left under the heels of like maybe 223 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 1: seventy five to two hundred people who were chanting along 224 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 1: the south side of Brownwood. They've been staging around Brownwood 225 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:36,560 Speaker 1: Park and Portland Avenue for the past hour or so. 226 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:42,079 Speaker 1: They had like twenty thirty cars, it's around forty fifty officers. 227 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: People decided they did not wish to stand their ground 228 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 1: and fight off a possible police raid at Brownwood Park, 229 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 1: so they spent the next few hours packing up all 230 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 1: the supplies and equipment that they just spent all day 231 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:57,080 Speaker 1: setting up, and then evacuated from the area. Okay, it 232 00:11:57,200 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 1: is eleven ten PM. It seems like the cops essentially 233 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: just did what I'm referring to as advanced bluffing. So 234 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 1: they walk through it on eight thirty warning people, hey, 235 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 1: park closes at eleven, which very much, very much indicating that, hey, we're. 236 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 4: Going to sweep through and fuck with your shit if 237 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 4: you're still here. 238 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 1: So the next few hours people spent time, you know, 239 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 1: packing up, breaking down the tents, of leaving heading to 240 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 1: other locations, and then at eleven we kind of just 241 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 1: expected police to do a standard sweep through, you know, 242 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 1: destroy anything they find if they find people tell them 243 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:31,079 Speaker 1: to leave or else get arrested, standard stuff. At this point, 244 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:34,160 Speaker 1: there's about seven or eight police cruisers staged around the 245 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: south side of the park, but they're not actually sweeping 246 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 1: through because it's pretty clear that there's like no one 247 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 1: actually in the park at this point. It's just very 248 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 1: clearly like empty and quiet, So I don't even I 249 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 1: don't even think cops are going to sweep through. It's 250 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 1: it's been already like ten to fifteen minutes. We expected 251 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:52,640 Speaker 1: them to kind of sweep on the hour, but they 252 00:12:52,679 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 1: just like don't need to. It's very clear that no 253 00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:56,679 Speaker 1: one's in the park, so they just kind of like 254 00:12:56,679 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 1: successfully bluffed themselves into getting everyone to leave. I mean, 255 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:04,080 Speaker 1: if there were people still here in invisible capacity, I'm 256 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 1: sure police would sweep through, but there's really there's no 257 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:09,840 Speaker 1: invisible in the park for many of like the perimeters around, 258 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: so they're not even gonna bother sweeping through. But yeah, 259 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:15,920 Speaker 1: it looks like this is the end of Brownwood Day 260 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:20,600 Speaker 1: one and the very kind of low key kickoff rally. Still, 261 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 1: the week definitely is lacking a sense of direction. There's 262 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 1: been a cab swat doing perimeter sweeps around the Wailani 263 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:31,000 Speaker 1: forest and the round Greshian Park where there's some future 264 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 1: events planned. 265 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:34,320 Speaker 4: We will see how that plays out in these next 266 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 4: few days. 267 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:38,840 Speaker 1: It certainly seemed like police wanted to make some show 268 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 1: of force early on in the week to stifle the 269 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 1: week of action. The threat of array the very first 270 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:48,680 Speaker 1: tonight was indeed disruptive to the logistics for the week, 271 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:51,559 Speaker 1: but ultimately people were able to band together to keep 272 00:13:51,559 --> 00:14:05,679 Speaker 1: each other safe and cared for. During this current general 273 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 1: sense of directionlessness, there were a lot of questions on 274 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:12,439 Speaker 1: how the movement will change during this turning point, With 275 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: little in the way of obvious answers or new paths 276 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 1: of resistance, The following Sunday and Monday of the week 277 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 1: continued to be mostly low key. People used those days 278 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 1: to facilitate workshops and discussions to work through the shift 279 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: the movement was going through. At the end of the week, 280 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 1: I sat down with Matt in East Atlanta Village to 281 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 1: talk about the week as a whole and compare notes. 282 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 1: Here's a bit of our conversation talking about the discussions 283 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 1: that started happening during those first few days. This was 284 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 1: a week of discussions, like it was, it really was. 285 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 1: There was a lot of meetings. There was a lot 286 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:51,360 Speaker 1: of discussions happening, people figuring out what do we do, 287 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 1: like if we actually want to stop cop City and 288 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 1: it's going to get built in these next few months, 289 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 1: like now. 290 00:14:57,360 --> 00:14:59,400 Speaker 3: Is the time to figure out what the fuck to 291 00:14:59,480 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 3: do next. 292 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:02,520 Speaker 1: So people have been having those discussions this week, and 293 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 1: if anything, the Week of Action has been useful in 294 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 1: this in this sense that it's brought a lot of 295 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:10,160 Speaker 1: people together so they can have these generative conversations. And 296 00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 1: there was a lot more conversations during this week than 297 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 1: last week. There was one on like what the state 298 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 1: of the movement is now, especially with the referendum taking 299 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:20,680 Speaker 1: up more visibility, how are like radical is going to 300 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:25,240 Speaker 1: navigate this space and this movement with a lot of 301 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 1: things in flux, And I think that that was definitely 302 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: my first read. Even even on the Cookoff rally, I 303 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 1: felt like there's a lot of people like not sure 304 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:33,080 Speaker 1: what to do, is very directionless. People were asking a 305 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 1: lot of questions and more questions were being asked all 306 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:36,880 Speaker 1: throughout the week. There's a lot of discussions, a lot 307 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 1: of meetings about like what do we do now, Like 308 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 1: if construction is going to start in the next two months, like, 309 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:44,600 Speaker 1: what is this movement going to do? Like that people 310 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 1: can chant if you build it, we will burn it. 311 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 1: But chanting it and doing it two different things. And 312 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 1: the movement is it's going to go through a period 313 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 1: of evolution and in these next few months, and with 314 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:59,520 Speaker 1: all those questions being asked, I feel like the answer 315 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 1: to those quiesequestions is going to be the actions people 316 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:04,600 Speaker 1: do take in these next few months. In the aftermath 317 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:07,320 Speaker 1: of the clear cutting, it felt like in some ways 318 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 1: that the window of possibility for this movement was closing 319 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:14,840 Speaker 1: as options seemed to be getting smaller. More people started 320 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: pursuing the referendum as a potential means of stopping Copcity, 321 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 1: but those in the more militant anarchist wing of the 322 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:25,280 Speaker 1: movement were left questioning, after two years of employing a 323 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:28,720 Speaker 1: diversity of tactics largely led by direct action, if it's 324 00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 1: the right and move to switch to an electoral strategy 325 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:35,360 Speaker 1: now when the situation is approaching its most dire but 326 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 1: since it is happening whether they like it or not, 327 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 1: anarchists were wondering, what can people do so that the 328 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 1: referendum doesn't completely dominate the narrative of the movement or 329 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 1: disincentivize other evolutions of the struggle. Now, obviously, a group 330 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:52,480 Speaker 1: of people pursuing a referendum does not prohibit other people 331 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:55,880 Speaker 1: from engaging in direct action, but there still were worries 332 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:59,000 Speaker 1: that the referendum could become a sort of release mechanism 333 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 1: for the movement, both in terms of new people's involvement 334 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:06,440 Speaker 1: being pushed toward this more liberalized electoral strategy instead of 335 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:10,280 Speaker 1: radical action, or if the petition or even potential ballot 336 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 1: vote fails, then that being used as an indicator that 337 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: most people in the city actually do want copcity. But 338 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:21,160 Speaker 1: through all this, what anarchists can do, and what they 339 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:25,240 Speaker 1: typically do, is to encourage radical autonomy and self determination 340 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:30,080 Speaker 1: regardless of electoral strategies or outcomes. Whether or not a 341 00:17:30,119 --> 00:17:34,119 Speaker 1: petition gets sixty some thousand signatures does not affect a 342 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:39,240 Speaker 1: burning construction vehicle. Just as these sort of discussions were happening, 343 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:42,480 Speaker 1: It's kind of fitting that on Monday, June twenty sixth, 344 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:46,199 Speaker 1: we saw the first communication in months claiming responsibility for 345 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:50,639 Speaker 1: equipment sabotage. After the last week of action in March 346 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:54,240 Speaker 1: and subsequent police raids on the forest, increased security, the 347 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:57,320 Speaker 1: rapid clear cutting and big push for city council public 348 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:00,399 Speaker 1: comment followed by the start of the referendum wrote that 349 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:03,119 Speaker 1: series of events, there really hadn't been much in the 350 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 1: way of nocturnal direct action sabotage happening in Atlanta or 351 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:11,600 Speaker 1: across the country in solidarity once a core component of 352 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:14,919 Speaker 1: this movement was seriously lacking in the months leading up 353 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:18,400 Speaker 1: to this summer, and then suddenly, after the June week 354 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:22,159 Speaker 1: of action's mostly uneventful start, a post went up on 355 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:24,880 Speaker 1: the sketchu web site scene stott no blogs dot org 356 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:28,399 Speaker 1: claiming that a group of anonymous individuals snuck into a 357 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 1: subcontractor's machine storage lot and poured hydrochloric acid into the 358 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:37,640 Speaker 1: oil tanks of three vehicles. The target was Brent Scarborough Company, 359 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:40,880 Speaker 1: a Georgia based subcontractor who was hired to clear cut 360 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 1: the Waalani forest and was currently engaged in mass land 361 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:49,520 Speaker 1: grading on the site. I drove by the site on 362 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:55,639 Speaker 1: Monday and I saw like over twenty machines like actively 363 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 1: working on the land. 364 00:18:57,359 --> 00:19:00,240 Speaker 3: Very avatar much Yeah. 365 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:06,280 Speaker 1: Yes, y or FORER and Gully the superior film, but no, 366 00:19:06,359 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 1: like it's like the site's being very actively worked on, 367 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:10,880 Speaker 1: like I've never seen that many machines doing active work 368 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 1: like all moving at the same time. Early Monday morning, 369 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 1: the Stop Cop City Referendum put out a strong statement 370 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:20,960 Speaker 1: of solidarity with quote all tactics on the road to 371 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:25,320 Speaker 1: collective liberation unquote and openly rejected the state's framing of 372 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 1: quote unquote violent and nonviolent resistance. To briefly quote a 373 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:32,439 Speaker 1: few of the last sentences of the statement, quote, the 374 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 1: Cop City Vote Referendum campaign is grounded in the values 375 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:40,560 Speaker 1: of abolitionist organizing and racial and environmental justice. We also 376 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: recognize our chosen tactic is a single intervention in a 377 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:47,240 Speaker 1: wide rainbow of fighting state repression. We seek to use 378 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 1: the Cop City Referendum to leverage local power, educate and 379 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 1: activate our communities, and build networks that can strengthen our 380 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 1: city and future mobilizations. The referendum is one piece of 381 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: a vibrant, multi faceted movement, one that defies respectable categorization 382 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:07,760 Speaker 1: as well as its state violence and repression. The Cop 383 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:11,640 Speaker 1: City Vote Referendum Coalition stands in solidarity and full support 384 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 1: of the Stop Cop City Week of Action, The larger 385 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:18,639 Speaker 1: movement and abolitionist organizers and activists across this city. 386 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 2: Unintentionally, these two things coincided. There was the release of 387 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 2: the scenes like the first sabotage in months, and then 388 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:31,400 Speaker 2: the referendum released that same day, the solidarity statement for 389 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 2: all yes actions taken to stop Cop City. No, I 390 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 2: just think that needs the statement itself needs to be highlighted, 391 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:41,639 Speaker 2: and yeah, I think it seems like they're going to 392 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:42,119 Speaker 2: stick to that. 393 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:45,640 Speaker 1: The solidarity statement was widely applauded and seen as a 394 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:48,920 Speaker 1: good sign regarding the referendum's place in the larger fight 395 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:52,199 Speaker 1: against Cop City and how it was not intending to 396 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 1: take space away from other aspects of the movement. Tuesday morning, 397 00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:59,639 Speaker 1: there was a small protest outside the Cab County Border 398 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 1: Commisson's building to call for the reopening of Entrenchment Creek Park. 399 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:07,600 Speaker 1: The park was a common gathering spot for the movement, 400 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:10,680 Speaker 1: at where many people camped during previous weeks of action. 401 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:15,399 Speaker 1: An executive order from DCAB CEO Michael Thurmond closed the 402 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:18,720 Speaker 1: park late last March as the police geared up to 403 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:22,000 Speaker 1: fortify Bolauni and speed run all of the tree felling. 404 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:24,719 Speaker 2: So I sat in the Board of Commissioner's meeting and 405 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:27,080 Speaker 2: it's it's different than a city council meeting, where like 406 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 2: anybody who signs up to do public comment can do 407 00:21:29,359 --> 00:21:31,960 Speaker 2: public comment. They only a lot thirty minutes of public comment, 408 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:37,359 Speaker 2: so about that amounts to ten speakers, and I think 409 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:40,080 Speaker 2: about six of them were actually there for, you know, 410 00:21:40,119 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 2: to talk about opening the park. And then the rally, 411 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:45,680 Speaker 2: I think it was something like thirty thirty people. Was 412 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 2: a student organized rally and they did a couple speakers 413 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:56,240 Speaker 2: and then that was that was it. Not much from 414 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:59,040 Speaker 2: the CAB, Like the CAB only came out to make 415 00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:02,119 Speaker 2: sure that they weren't blocking a pathway and it was 416 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:02,800 Speaker 2: kind of hands off. 417 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:04,960 Speaker 3: I did get a parking ticket, that was my fault, 418 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:05,360 Speaker 3: you did. 419 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:08,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I let my parking expire for twelve minutes. 420 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:13,720 Speaker 1: A legalist mascot at the ACPC wow. 421 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:15,280 Speaker 2: H And yeah the minute I do something illegal, I 422 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 2: get a trapping ticket. 423 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:20,800 Speaker 1: Previously in June that a CAB CEO proposed a one 424 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:24,879 Speaker 1: point eight million dollar construction plan necessary to reopen the park, 425 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:28,440 Speaker 1: but no clear date on when that would happen. One 426 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:31,800 Speaker 1: County commissioner has been trying to fast track reopening the park, 427 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:35,560 Speaker 1: but their resolution has repeatedly been deferred by the County Board. 428 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 1: The soonest it will be reconsidered is October tenth. Meanwhile, 429 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 1: the park will remain indefinitely closed. Throughout the first few 430 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:57,440 Speaker 1: days of the Week of action. There was something kind 431 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:01,439 Speaker 1: of looming over everyone's heads. There was a march planned 432 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:04,320 Speaker 1: from Gresham Park towards Malawney that was to take place 433 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 1: on the evening of Wednesday, June twenty eighth. The police 434 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:10,480 Speaker 1: response to this action was primed to be the most 435 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 1: intense out of the week. The path to Entrenchment Creek 436 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:16,919 Speaker 1: Park is a pretty closed in bike path with a 437 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:20,200 Speaker 1: tunnel going under an overpass where police have been staging 438 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:22,639 Speaker 1: to prevent people from entering the forest. 439 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 3: No. 440 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:26,119 Speaker 1: I definitely felt like on Monday and Tuesday, everyone was 441 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:28,200 Speaker 1: still like thinking about what would happen on Wednesday, What 442 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 1: would happen on the march from Gresham Park. That was 443 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:34,879 Speaker 1: the big unknown, That was the big danger. 444 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:39,400 Speaker 2: Like very palpable. Yeah, concern about how that was going 445 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 2: to play out. Yeah, that probably, I mean all the 446 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 2: way back to Saturday, that was probably like playing through 447 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:50,879 Speaker 2: people's minds and causing some of that like, yeah, uncertainty. 448 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 1: Police were setting up perimeters around the forest in an 449 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:57,359 Speaker 1: increased capacity than the usual detail. Pretty early on in 450 00:23:57,359 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 1: the day, there was a DACAB County SWAT mobile command 451 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:03,320 Speaker 1: center posted up in a school parking lot next to 452 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:06,720 Speaker 1: the tunnel and bike path leading from Gresham to Wolani. 453 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:10,440 Speaker 1: Kind Of as expected, this entire section of South Atlanta 454 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:15,399 Speaker 1: was crawling with police before people even gathered at Gresham Park. 455 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:19,000 Speaker 1: The day began with an unfortunately rocky start and the 456 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:22,879 Speaker 1: first arrest of the week outside Cadence Bank in Midtown. 457 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 1: The protest was calling on the bank to cancel their 458 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:29,760 Speaker 1: twenty million dollar construction loan given to the Atlanta Police Foundation. 459 00:24:30,359 --> 00:24:33,760 Speaker 2: So there was this action at Cadence Bank that they 460 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 2: specifically didn't want media and so none of us were there. Yeah, 461 00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:42,720 Speaker 2: and that was early in the morning. I don't I 462 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:45,520 Speaker 2: think we found out about it after renoon or something, 463 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:49,879 Speaker 2: so after I woke up. Yeah, I think it was 464 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:52,640 Speaker 2: like they said, thirty people, kind of like we saw 465 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:56,639 Speaker 2: the other day Friday. Yeah, on Friday. But as they 466 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:00,119 Speaker 2: were walking away, somebody gets well multiple they try or 467 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:00,880 Speaker 2: rest multiple people. 468 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:01,960 Speaker 3: Please start chasing people. 469 00:25:03,119 --> 00:25:06,800 Speaker 1: Someone gets grabbed and arrested, another person gets detained and 470 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:11,440 Speaker 1: then let go. Seemed like a pretty chaotic scene. That's 471 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:13,680 Speaker 1: not a great way to start off the day where 472 00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:17,000 Speaker 1: you have your most stressful action plan for later. You 473 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:18,919 Speaker 1: wake up, you get chased by cops, and you're expecting 474 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:21,840 Speaker 1: to go do a march in a few hours in 475 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:24,879 Speaker 1: the most heavily police area of Atlanta right now. The 476 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:27,040 Speaker 1: march was to take place on the same bike path 477 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,320 Speaker 1: from Gresham Park to Intrenchment Creek Park that people took 478 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:32,840 Speaker 1: during the kickoff rally at the last week of Action, 479 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:37,119 Speaker 1: but much has changed on the ground since then. As 480 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:39,760 Speaker 1: people started to gather at Gresham Park on Wednesday evening, 481 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:43,840 Speaker 1: the numbers were quite small. As I progressed, around one 482 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:46,840 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty people eventually amassed, but it was still 483 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:49,199 Speaker 1: a small fraction of the number of people at the 484 00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:53,880 Speaker 1: previous Gresham Park march and with a much greater police presence. 485 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 1: The exact plan for the night was heavily dependent on 486 00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:01,399 Speaker 1: a lot of factors that it was impossible to explicitly 487 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:04,760 Speaker 1: know beforehand, like how many people would show up and 488 00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 1: what they would feel comfortable doing based on the police response. 489 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:09,840 Speaker 4: All right, this is. 490 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:12,560 Speaker 1: Wednesday, June twenty eighth. 491 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:14,879 Speaker 4: Me and Matt from the Community. 492 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:18,800 Speaker 1: Press Collective are gathered at Gresham Park. Overhead you can 493 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:23,480 Speaker 1: hear the Tacab helicopter circle at favorite sound, our favorite sound. Yes, 494 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:27,359 Speaker 1: there's about I don't know, maybe seventy five or more, 495 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:31,200 Speaker 1: close to one hundred, close to one hundred people gathered 496 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:34,679 Speaker 1: here in Gresham Park and people have plans to march 497 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 1: towards Wolani or at least to the tunnel, and then 498 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:43,119 Speaker 1: what happens after that's kind of a big mystery. Definitely 499 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:45,639 Speaker 1: very different than the last time we were gathered in 500 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:47,159 Speaker 1: Gresham Park with a crowd of people. 501 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:51,040 Speaker 2: We're missing the music, We're missing the duwali like paint clouds, 502 00:26:51,119 --> 00:26:56,639 Speaker 2: We're missing the kids, We're missing maybe the vibes. Just 503 00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 2: in general. 504 00:26:57,160 --> 00:27:00,360 Speaker 1: Another eight hundred people or so, but I mean people 505 00:27:00,359 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 1: are setting out science and some banners. Police have a 506 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:09,439 Speaker 1: decent presence around the around like the tunnel or like 507 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 1: the overpass over the tunnel, and around Wilani. 508 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:15,480 Speaker 2: Right now, all around the Wilanni triangle there's there APD 509 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:21,199 Speaker 2: and the Cab County Police just hanging out more than usual. 510 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:25,000 Speaker 2: And at the fire station there was more cops than 511 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:26,119 Speaker 2: I've seen since. 512 00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:32,520 Speaker 1: March fifth, since the last week of action. Yeah, earlier 513 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 1: this morning, I saw a da KEB County swat nobile 514 00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:39,800 Speaker 1: command unit at the school next to the tunnel overpass, 515 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:41,960 Speaker 1: but I do not know where that is now. It 516 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:44,160 Speaker 1: was it was not parked there last time we drove 517 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:47,199 Speaker 1: by about half an hour ago. So yeah, just that is. 518 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:51,440 Speaker 1: That is the update as of as of six thirty. 519 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:53,680 Speaker 1: So I'm guessing this crowd will start moving the next 520 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 1: thirty minutes to forty minutes, probably have hour. Yeah, all right, Right, 521 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:00,440 Speaker 1: as the crowd was about to set off, someone made 522 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:04,160 Speaker 1: an announcement that due to small numbers and large police presence, 523 00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 1: there was to be a change of plans. Instead of 524 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:10,280 Speaker 1: going all the way to Entrenchment Creek Park or even 525 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:12,480 Speaker 1: the tunnel, they were going to march one third of 526 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:15,080 Speaker 1: the way and stop on the bike path. All right, 527 00:28:15,119 --> 00:28:19,280 Speaker 1: it's around seven to twenty pm, about one hundred and 528 00:28:19,280 --> 00:28:22,360 Speaker 1: fifty people are leaving Gresham Park and they announced they're 529 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:25,640 Speaker 1: going to be going to hold a small vigil near 530 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:29,320 Speaker 1: one of one of the felled trees on the bike path. 531 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:33,800 Speaker 1: For a little while, the march was getting along fine, 532 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:37,720 Speaker 1: there was music and chanting, when suddenly police made an 533 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:41,960 Speaker 1: early appearance. Okay, so it's what seven seven forty seven 534 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:47,080 Speaker 1: fifty seven forty one on Wednesday, June twenty eighth. 535 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:50,840 Speaker 4: We are walking on the bike path and staged. 536 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:52,400 Speaker 2: Twenty five minutes into the walk and here we come 537 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:57,480 Speaker 2: on our first police presence of the day along our path. 538 00:28:57,680 --> 00:28:59,960 Speaker 2: So too thinking to cap County, Yeah, two to cab 539 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:05,160 Speaker 2: County SuDS part side by side along the path. But 540 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:07,160 Speaker 2: they're not out of their vehicles. 541 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:09,480 Speaker 3: No, so. 542 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:12,400 Speaker 4: I think the crowd searsal order. 543 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:14,520 Speaker 3: They might try to give it a spursal order because 544 00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:18,080 Speaker 3: there's too many people. Yeah. I didn't think they would 545 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:19,120 Speaker 3: try to fuck with it this soon. 546 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:21,120 Speaker 4: I thought they would wait to the tunnel. 547 00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:24,800 Speaker 1: A small number of police were posted up right before 548 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 1: the first bridge on the bike path, roughly about halfway 549 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:31,360 Speaker 1: to the tunnel. If they wanted to, the crowd could 550 00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:33,840 Speaker 1: have marched past the police as they were not blocking 551 00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 1: the path. The two cop cars couldn't even follow behind 552 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:40,600 Speaker 1: because there was big metal bulgards preventing vehicles from going 553 00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 1: on the Wooden bridge, but the visible police caused the 554 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:44,920 Speaker 1: group to pause. 555 00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:47,680 Speaker 2: There was that one speech that we need to touch 556 00:29:47,680 --> 00:29:50,959 Speaker 2: on from that night, and that was the speaker said, 557 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 2: in order to win, we have to let go of 558 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:57,960 Speaker 2: the idea of losing while looking good. Yeah, and that 559 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:00,960 Speaker 2: I think is going to inform whatever the direct action 560 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:04,280 Speaker 2: side of things are for the next this next phase 561 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:05,400 Speaker 2: of the movement. 562 00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:09,720 Speaker 1: While paused in front of the police cruisers, the crowd 563 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:12,200 Speaker 1: deliberated on what they wanted to do and what they 564 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:15,720 Speaker 1: thought they could accomplish. After a few minutes of discussion, 565 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:20,520 Speaker 1: they decided that they were not prepared to unnecessarily sacrifice themselves. 566 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:23,840 Speaker 1: One of the people from the crowd spoke briefly not 567 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:27,080 Speaker 1: only on this decision, but also how it fits into 568 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:30,520 Speaker 1: the difficult situation the movement has found itself in. Right now, 569 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:33,240 Speaker 1: I'm going to quote a little bit from this impromptu 570 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:37,720 Speaker 1: speech quote. We shouldn't come away from this feeling demoralized. 571 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:40,760 Speaker 1: We should feel clarity because we believe we set out 572 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:44,480 Speaker 1: to participate in a movement to obstruct the construction of 573 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:48,280 Speaker 1: a police militarization site, but that is not being allowed 574 00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:51,680 Speaker 1: to happen. The people we're fighting against believe we are 575 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:56,000 Speaker 1: a domestic insurgency. They are treating us like an insurgency. 576 00:30:56,080 --> 00:31:00,840 Speaker 1: The state is using militaristic language like denying anarchists operating space, 577 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:04,600 Speaker 1: and so we're going to great lengths to be safe, 578 00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:06,720 Speaker 1: to play it safe, and to go slow, and to 579 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:10,680 Speaker 1: proceed rationally and defend one another. But we're coming under 580 00:31:10,800 --> 00:31:16,000 Speaker 1: constant attack. Everything we do, we're under attack unquote. Just 581 00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:18,560 Speaker 1: earlier that morning, people were attacked by the state and 582 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:21,800 Speaker 1: arrested as they stood on the sidewalk outside of a bank. 583 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:25,720 Speaker 1: Those who work to bail activists out of jail are attacked. 584 00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:29,120 Speaker 1: People doing on the ground jail support are physically attacked 585 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:30,520 Speaker 1: and face police intimidation. 586 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:31,640 Speaker 4: Quote. 587 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:34,560 Speaker 1: We don't want to be engaged in a failing struggle. 588 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 1: Our enemy is treating us like terrorists. That's what they're 589 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:40,920 Speaker 1: calling us, and that's what they believe we are. It's 590 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:44,560 Speaker 1: not just a rhetorical trick. That's how they're treating the movement. 591 00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 1: And so we have to figure out how we're going 592 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:50,320 Speaker 1: to win, because we intend to win. But you can't 593 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:53,960 Speaker 1: just only defend yourself. The safest thing for us to 594 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:56,760 Speaker 1: do is to never go to a protest about this movement. Again, 595 00:31:57,160 --> 00:32:00,400 Speaker 1: if our top priority is safety, everyone who is not 596 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:03,120 Speaker 1: currently facing charges should move away, should not go to 597 00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:07,120 Speaker 1: events or actions. But if we have a higher priority 598 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:09,640 Speaker 1: than safety alone, we're going to have to figure out 599 00:32:09,840 --> 00:32:12,600 Speaker 1: what we're going to do to achieve that, which is 600 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:15,280 Speaker 1: going to require going on the offense when we're able 601 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:19,280 Speaker 1: and how we're able. This movement has been very creative, 602 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:21,480 Speaker 1: and we're going to have to continue to be more 603 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:24,000 Speaker 1: and more creative, and we're going to have to continue 604 00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:26,640 Speaker 1: to deploy all available means in order to have this 605 00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:30,840 Speaker 1: kind of offensive, victorious, and strong movement that we all 606 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:34,600 Speaker 1: deserve when we fight, when we attack the enemy, when 607 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:37,800 Speaker 1: we have our offensive actions, we have to follow through 608 00:32:37,840 --> 00:32:40,520 Speaker 1: with them. We have to go all the way with them. 609 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:43,480 Speaker 1: We have to be willing to believe in ourselves to 610 00:32:43,560 --> 00:32:46,760 Speaker 1: believe that we can win. And so I believe that 611 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:48,760 Speaker 1: we are going to win this movement, and I think 612 00:32:48,880 --> 00:32:51,160 Speaker 1: you guys believe that we're going to win this movement. 613 00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:54,200 Speaker 1: But that's going to require us to abandon the idea 614 00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:58,560 Speaker 1: of looking good while losing. We can't look good losing. 615 00:32:59,280 --> 00:33:02,560 Speaker 1: So are we look good losing or are we going 616 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:02,960 Speaker 1: to win? 617 00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:04,760 Speaker 3: All right? 618 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:05,560 Speaker 4: It is eight o'clock. 619 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:08,880 Speaker 1: The crowd sat in the middle of the trail behind 620 00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:12,800 Speaker 1: the first bridge, where two. 621 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:13,200 Speaker 4: Decap County vehicles were parked. 622 00:33:13,760 --> 00:33:15,880 Speaker 1: They deliberated for a little bit, and then a few 623 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:18,800 Speaker 1: people spoke and now the crowd has turned around at 624 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:20,360 Speaker 1: a marching back to Greshiam. 625 00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:24,040 Speaker 2: Park, marching back, no arrests. We do have two helicopters 626 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:26,560 Speaker 2: now hanging over us. That's my favorite thing in the world. 627 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 1: Part and a lot of other decav on the ground 628 00:33:29,840 --> 00:33:32,360 Speaker 1: in other parts of the bike path, in the trails. 629 00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:36,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, they would have walked directly into what looked like 630 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:41,000 Speaker 2: a full swat team above the bridge. So they made 631 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 2: the right choice, is. 632 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:43,520 Speaker 3: What it seems like to me. 633 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:47,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, And they talked about their intentionality of the decision, 634 00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:52,560 Speaker 1: and it's how it's important to not just keep losing 635 00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:55,280 Speaker 1: while trying to look cool and throw yourself out a 636 00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:56,680 Speaker 1: line of police. 637 00:33:57,520 --> 00:34:01,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, and that hopefully, I mean, what what does that 638 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:04,040 Speaker 2: look like in practice? I guess we'll see you over 639 00:34:04,080 --> 00:34:05,760 Speaker 2: the next few months, three. 640 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:08,680 Speaker 1: Days, three days to two months, yeah, three. 641 00:34:08,560 --> 00:34:11,799 Speaker 2: Days, several months. But it does sound like there's some 642 00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:18,040 Speaker 2: attempt now a directionality that wasn't I wasn't sing yeah 643 00:34:18,280 --> 00:34:20,160 Speaker 2: until this is. 644 00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:23,280 Speaker 1: The exact same march people tried to do back in March, 645 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:25,520 Speaker 1: and they did it, and they're trying to do it 646 00:34:25,520 --> 00:34:26,280 Speaker 1: here again in June. 647 00:34:26,640 --> 00:34:29,480 Speaker 4: And it doesn't work. It didn't It doesn't work the 648 00:34:29,480 --> 00:34:29,839 Speaker 4: first time. 649 00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:30,319 Speaker 2: It doesn't work. 650 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:31,879 Speaker 4: It worked the first time, it does' wanke second time. 651 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:34,400 Speaker 4: So now it's time to change something exact. 652 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:35,640 Speaker 2: Yeah. 653 00:34:35,680 --> 00:34:38,000 Speaker 1: On the walk back to Grushiam Park, we got clear 654 00:34:38,040 --> 00:34:41,000 Speaker 1: photos of the amount of riot police waiting for us 655 00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:43,799 Speaker 1: at the tunnel and it was a great many. 656 00:34:44,120 --> 00:34:44,880 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, there is a lot. 657 00:34:45,200 --> 00:34:48,120 Speaker 2: That's a lot of of a riot. 658 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:48,640 Speaker 1: Yeah. 659 00:34:48,680 --> 00:34:50,760 Speaker 4: And that was when of the vans posted above the tunnel. 660 00:34:50,840 --> 00:34:54,879 Speaker 2: Yeah, so that a trailer. Yeah, that's what they bring 661 00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:56,360 Speaker 2: all their riot shields in. Okay. 662 00:34:57,840 --> 00:34:59,160 Speaker 4: Yeah, that that would have sucked. 663 00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:01,000 Speaker 2: That would not have been fun. 664 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:02,440 Speaker 4: No, that would have gone very poorly. 665 00:35:02,600 --> 00:35:05,319 Speaker 2: Would have been tear gas though, and I do miss 666 00:35:05,320 --> 00:35:06,120 Speaker 2: being tear gas. 667 00:35:06,200 --> 00:35:08,239 Speaker 3: I can like spray with pepper spray if you want. 668 00:35:08,320 --> 00:35:09,800 Speaker 2: It's not the same as tear gas. 669 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:11,200 Speaker 3: I can spray right now if you want. 670 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:15,680 Speaker 1: Matt ultimately declined to be pepper sprayed. Torti Guita's mother, 671 00:35:15,760 --> 00:35:19,720 Speaker 1: Belkise Tearan, came to Gresham Park to also join the march. 672 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:22,200 Speaker 2: So what we had was one hundred and fifty people 673 00:35:22,920 --> 00:35:26,920 Speaker 2: in Belkis Tarran and I think that that, yeah, plays 674 00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:29,239 Speaker 2: a role in how this goes on. 675 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:31,560 Speaker 3: Nov Having bell Keise. 676 00:35:32,800 --> 00:35:35,640 Speaker 1: Very like visibly present, like walking up to everybody there 677 00:35:35,640 --> 00:35:38,719 Speaker 1: and greeting them. Just having her presence there affects what 678 00:35:38,760 --> 00:35:41,920 Speaker 1: people want to do, and it reminds you of what's 679 00:35:41,960 --> 00:35:46,160 Speaker 1: actually like the actual stakes at hand, so you're caring 680 00:35:46,200 --> 00:35:50,360 Speaker 1: for everyone around you in a much more like conscious capacity. 681 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:54,440 Speaker 1: Belcise spoke, a few other people spoke, and then they 682 00:35:54,480 --> 00:35:56,839 Speaker 1: turned around and headed back to Greshia and that was 683 00:35:57,000 --> 00:36:00,759 Speaker 1: the decision that was made and no no one was hurt, 684 00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:03,439 Speaker 1: no one was arrested. People got back to Gresham Park. 685 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:04,680 Speaker 1: Some people had ice cream. 686 00:36:06,520 --> 00:36:08,520 Speaker 2: Two people in particular had ice cream and they were 687 00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:11,839 Speaker 2: very happy about it. It definitely wasn't maybe it was us. 688 00:36:12,320 --> 00:36:14,120 Speaker 3: Other people also had ice cream. 689 00:36:14,160 --> 00:36:15,759 Speaker 2: Other people did have ice cream. I don't think they 690 00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:16,800 Speaker 2: were quite as excited. 691 00:36:16,840 --> 00:36:18,040 Speaker 3: It's like the overpriced ice. 692 00:36:18,680 --> 00:36:21,040 Speaker 1: Throughout the week, you could tell that people were really 693 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:24,280 Speaker 1: wanting to be back in the forest and Wilani People's Park. 694 00:36:24,880 --> 00:36:28,479 Speaker 1: People made do gathering at Brownwood Park, but it wasn't 695 00:36:28,520 --> 00:36:31,839 Speaker 1: the same. There was an undeniable distance between where people 696 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:34,520 Speaker 1: were gathered this week of action and the sight of 697 00:36:34,520 --> 00:36:38,319 Speaker 1: all the previous battles in the Wilani. The fact that 698 00:36:38,360 --> 00:36:41,000 Speaker 1: so much of the forest had already been destroyed loomed 699 00:36:41,040 --> 00:36:44,080 Speaker 1: heavily over the week, and that's something that people are 700 00:36:44,160 --> 00:36:47,680 Speaker 1: still processing and are still comprehending. Another big aspect of 701 00:36:47,719 --> 00:36:49,399 Speaker 1: the week, like this is this is the first week 702 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:51,239 Speaker 1: of action where people haven't gone in the gone in 703 00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:52,319 Speaker 1: the willani Like. 704 00:36:53,080 --> 00:36:56,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, there's no action, which feels weird. Well, we should 705 00:36:56,280 --> 00:37:00,799 Speaker 2: say in the triangle because you know, the forest is obviously, but. 706 00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:03,000 Speaker 1: Like the site, like this is the first time that 707 00:37:03,760 --> 00:37:08,279 Speaker 1: people haven't been like in the forest, and that's a 708 00:37:08,320 --> 00:37:10,760 Speaker 1: new thing to navigate, that's a new feeling to navigate, 709 00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:13,680 Speaker 1: Like there's there's a different there's a different. 710 00:37:13,400 --> 00:37:14,640 Speaker 2: Sense multiple chance. 711 00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:17,120 Speaker 1: There's multiple chance being like not one lead, don't cut 712 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:19,600 Speaker 1: down the trees and like the trees are gone, like 713 00:37:19,640 --> 00:37:22,960 Speaker 1: it's the site's been cleared, and I think people are 714 00:37:22,960 --> 00:37:25,520 Speaker 1: still catching up to that and like rel Like it's 715 00:37:25,520 --> 00:37:28,920 Speaker 1: still something that people are processing and they're gonna have 716 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:30,719 Speaker 1: to process that if they want to like continue, like 717 00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:32,560 Speaker 1: they have to like look at the situation being like 718 00:37:33,239 --> 00:37:35,480 Speaker 1: this is we have to accept what has happened. 719 00:37:35,560 --> 00:37:38,080 Speaker 3: Then we can choose what's to do, because you can't 720 00:37:38,120 --> 00:37:38,600 Speaker 3: act as. 721 00:37:38,480 --> 00:37:40,319 Speaker 2: You can't deny what the reality is. 722 00:37:40,480 --> 00:37:42,319 Speaker 1: No, and you can't act as if the trees are 723 00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:44,719 Speaker 1: still there, because that's going to change the type of 724 00:37:44,760 --> 00:37:47,319 Speaker 1: the types of like actions you do. Like you can't 725 00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:50,640 Speaker 1: trace it in the in the trees. It's it's changing 726 00:37:50,760 --> 00:37:53,120 Speaker 1: the actual actions people are going to take to try 727 00:37:53,120 --> 00:37:57,200 Speaker 1: to stop copsitting. I think the Wednesday action almost needed 728 00:37:57,239 --> 00:38:00,920 Speaker 1: to happen. So many people still dream about what if 729 00:38:00,920 --> 00:38:04,239 Speaker 1: we could reoccupy Wollane. People are still caught in that 730 00:38:04,360 --> 00:38:06,960 Speaker 1: headspace because they got so used to that over the 731 00:38:06,960 --> 00:38:10,120 Speaker 1: course of almost two years, so inevitably there was going 732 00:38:10,200 --> 00:38:12,719 Speaker 1: to be an attempt where a few hundred people try 733 00:38:12,760 --> 00:38:17,080 Speaker 1: to re enter Willane People's park. They're almost needed to 734 00:38:17,120 --> 00:38:20,480 Speaker 1: be an attempt just to see what would happen, And 735 00:38:20,760 --> 00:38:23,040 Speaker 1: we saw what would happen. And now people can use 736 00:38:23,080 --> 00:38:27,279 Speaker 1: that action as reference when making future plans and decisions 737 00:38:27,320 --> 00:38:30,560 Speaker 1: about actions, because you can point back to this and 738 00:38:30,600 --> 00:38:34,080 Speaker 1: demonstrate what the police response will be when people march 739 00:38:34,160 --> 00:38:38,120 Speaker 1: to Wolani. Massive amounts of SWAT riot police waiting for you, 740 00:38:38,280 --> 00:38:43,440 Speaker 1: SWAT mobile command centers, heavily armed police estanged on roads, overpasses, entrances, 741 00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:46,200 Speaker 1: and all around the forest. Specifically waiting for people to 742 00:38:46,239 --> 00:38:50,120 Speaker 1: try to cross over or through the tunnel, so now 743 00:38:50,200 --> 00:38:52,480 Speaker 1: people know what will happen if they try and do 744 00:38:52,560 --> 00:38:55,920 Speaker 1: the same thing again. In some ways, it kind of 745 00:38:56,200 --> 00:39:00,440 Speaker 1: needed to not just be theoretical speculation, but actually happen 746 00:39:00,560 --> 00:39:03,840 Speaker 1: so that people can now truly allow themselves to evolve, 747 00:39:04,239 --> 00:39:06,479 Speaker 1: so that you don't have this question in the back 748 00:39:06,520 --> 00:39:09,800 Speaker 1: of your head, because now that question has been answered, 749 00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:12,040 Speaker 1: you would be throwing yourself at a wall of swat 750 00:39:12,040 --> 00:39:15,480 Speaker 1: and riot gear. And now everyone can let themselves evolve 751 00:39:15,880 --> 00:39:19,160 Speaker 1: and start figuring out what new things can be fostered 752 00:39:19,239 --> 00:39:24,520 Speaker 1: and imagined. We'll hear more about those evolutions and conclude 753 00:39:24,560 --> 00:39:27,759 Speaker 1: my coverage of the week of Action in the next episode. 754 00:39:28,440 --> 00:39:33,520 Speaker 1: See you on the other side. It Could Happen here 755 00:39:33,520 --> 00:39:36,200 Speaker 1: as a production of cool Zone Media. For more podcasts 756 00:39:36,200 --> 00:39:39,360 Speaker 1: from cool Zone Media, visit our website coolzonemedia dot com, 757 00:39:39,440 --> 00:39:42,040 Speaker 1: or check us out on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 758 00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:45,200 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can find sources 759 00:39:45,200 --> 00:39:48,359 Speaker 1: for It Could Happen Here, updated monthly at coolzonemedia dot 760 00:39:48,360 --> 00:39:50,560 Speaker 1: com slash sources. Thanks for listening.