Jozsef Papp
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution(TNS)
The Atlanta Police Department is increasing the reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction of those responsible for arson attacks police say are related to opposition to the planned Atlanta public safety training center.
Officials say incidents dating back to a fire at the city’s At-Promise Center in May 2022 were committed by people who want to stop construction of the training center.
“We have reason to believe, based on statements of responsibility made by groups, as well as investigating information that we currently hold, that the same group is likely responsible for the various arson attacks that occurred here in the city,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said. “The intent of every one of these attacks was destruction beyond what occurred. We were fortunate that the devices didn’t go beyond their desired destruction. They were interrupted by citizens and police officers.”
Schierbaum said the reward has been increased to $50,000, with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives adding an additional $10,000.
Incidents police say are related include a fire that destroyed eight department motorcycle vehicles at the old Atlanta Police Training Academy on Southside Industrial Parkway. Also, someone broke patrol vehicle windows at a precinct on Memorial Drive and destroyed equipment belonging to a contractor involved in the facility construction.
“What I’m worried about is someone being hurt or killed if this group isn’t stopped,” Schierbaum said.
In a July post claiming responsibility for the destruction of the construction equipment, a protest group said, “we will wage a campaign of violence and destruction on any and all contractors” who work on the training center.
A number of activists opposed to the training center have been charged with domestic terrorism.
“If this group is not stopped, they are likely to strike again,” Schierbaum said. “This group needs to be stopped, needs to be identified and needs to be held accountable.”
Construction of the $90 million facility is expected to take place over the next year, with Schierbaum expecting the department to move into the facility by December 2024. Opponents have vowed to continue protests, demonstrations and a referendum petition which aims to put the controversial training center on the ballot.
In response the Vote to Stop Cop City Coalition, which is pushing for the referendum, called for accountability on the death of Manuel “Tortuguita” Teran, who was shot at least 57 times and killed by Georgia State Patrol troopers at the site of the training center in January. Authorities say they were fired upon first.
The coalition’s statement reads:
“For every one bike that the police lost, they put seven bullet wounds in a living, breathing human being in the forest. Their own officers were recorded surmising that the official narrative is incorrect. There has been no accountability for that murder, and there is no comparison to be made here. While Atlanta elites focus on limited property damage, tens of thousands of Atlantans are focused on actual violence by the state and have demanded the right to reject this deeply unpopular waste of public funds.”
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