Washington, DC (May 31, 2023)– In response to the arrest of the three activists with the Atlanta Solidarity Fund, Greenpeace USA Democracy Campaign Director, Folabi Olagbaju said, “These arrests are a ploy to silence protesters that have been engaging in protected speech, and part of a pattern of police overreach designed to cut legal and community support to anyone that tries to speak out against Cop City. Protest and speech are two of the best tools we have to fight for a livable planet.
Greenpeace USA opposes this escalation of dirty tactics by the State of Georgia to scare activists that are using their voice to stop the Cop City development that many in the Atlanta community have repeatedly expressed their opposition to. We stand in solidarity with activists in the Atlanta Solidarity Fund. We call for an independent investigation of the events leading to the killing of Manuel Esteban Paez “Tortuguita” and for prosecutors to drop charges of domestic terrorism against environmental activists opposing the Cop City Project.”
On Wednesday, May 31, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and Atlanta Police Department (APD) raided the homes of and arrested three activists with the Atlanta Solidarity Fund, in connection with the “Stop Cop City” movement. “Cop City” is the name given to the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center that is going to be used for specialized training for both law enforcement and fire department service workers.
###
Contact: Rocio Estrada, Greenpeace USA Senior Communications Specialist, P: 301-597-7700, E: [email protected]
Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.
