Atlanta, GA: Forest Defenders Stop Construction and Bulldozer

Report on ongoing resistance in the Atlanta forest to continued attempts to develop the area to build a massive police counter-insurgency training center.

On Thursday, June 2nd, forest defenders again were able to stop an attempt at construction within the Atlanta forest by various sub-contracting firms, backed up by local police. A post on Scenes from the Atlanta Forest wrote:

On June. 2nd, a horde of forest defenders were able to stop a bulldozer on the edge of the woods (that was being escorted by kkkops) from destroying the forest by throwing rocks, deploying fireworks, & shouting scary words! However, cops are destroying forest defense infrastructure & we need all hands on deck to CONTINUE STOPPING THE CONSTRUCTION of cop city, & allow this scarred forest to heal.

Another tree sit has also gone up in the path our enemies plan to destroy for their racist training facility, & we need help both supporting & defending that zone! We are welcoming ALL the tactics. Kate Bush flash mob when kkkops arrive? Fuck yeah. Frontline Action to stop machines of destruction? Fuck yeah. Please just get your sweet fucking feral ass down here.

Your house sitting gig & coffee shop job can wait– come occupy the forest, & if you got privilege, use it to throw down, as trees, community members & non-human animals are better than a clear cut lot with a militarized police training center.

The stakes are high & the forest is calling!

Come for the blackberries & community, & stay for the chaos! Week of Action is June.2nd – till the Forest is safe!

Interested in rolling with Camp Copperhead?Drop a line to: [email protected]

& We’ll get back to you soon!

Another report wrote of the push back against the police on Scenes from the Atlanta Forest:

Work stopped today, Thursday June 2, as a group of 10 forest defenders confronted a bulldozer in the forest just west of the juvy today. Forest defenders launched rocks and fireworks, yelling ‘get the fuck out of the woods’ as the machine was attacked. 4-5 workers, likely with Long Engineering, hid behind the bulldozer while one APD officer stood idly with his hands on his hips. Forest defenders retreated into the woods howling. No arrests were made.

We call upon anyone who wants to defend the forest and stop cop city to support the struggle by sowing chaos along the perimeter: plan a slow-moving car caravan on Constitution Rd, or a rally at the juvy.

Workers and pigs, we repeat: Stay the fuck out the woods.

Finally, a tree-sitter wrote in a message posted to Scenes from the Atlanta Forest:

They destroyed our camp, & sawed one of our platforms apart, but we still got up into same tree in opf near juvy to defend the forest, & we left a message for our oppressors & our tree sitter comrade has issued a statement:

“We are here today to stop the development of a police militarization facility, where police would train in tactics of repression and violence against the civilians of Atlanta. We are here today to stop a beautiful forest from being destroyed, to stop countless animals and plants from being exterminated from this place. Two incredibly important topics are at stake here today. Climate change and police violence are two of the most pressing issues affecting our society today, and they will only worsen if this facility is built. We cannot stand by as we sacrifice humanity’s future for a Cop City.

-Wish”

According to documents posted to social media by Defend the Atlanta Forest, “The Atlanta Police Foundation plan to begin cutting down the forest for Cop City in two weeks. Clearing is planned for nearly 90% of the 380 acre property.” To stay up on the struggle, follow Defend the Atlanta Forest and read, Scenes from the Atlanta Forest.