Atlanta 'Cop City' protesters clash with police over construction of training center
Atlanta 'Cop City' protests going on for more than 2 years
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Activists marching in Atlanta on Monday to stop construction of a police and firefighter training center were met with tear gas and flash-bang grenades during a confrontation with police.
The event, dubbed "Block Cop City," saw more than 500 protesters march from a park to the facility’s site, located just outside the Atlanta city limits in suburban DeKalb County.
Some of the protesters wearing masks, goggles and chemical suits pushed into a line of officers in riot gear stationed on a road outside the training center site. Officers pushed back and responded with tear gas, with one protester throwing a canister back at officers.
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State troopers and the DeKalb County police department were guarding the site. Armored vehicles were on the scene and barbed wire was placed as a security measure around the site in anticipation of protests.
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The clash marked the latest incident of violence sparked by the protests against the facility, which have gone on for more than two years.
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Prosecutors are characterizing the protest movement as a conspiracy, saying it has led to underlying crimes, including possessing fire accelerants and throwing Molotov cocktails at police officers.
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Opponents say the facility could lead to greater police militarization and that its construction in the South River Forest will worsen environmental damage in a poor, majority-Black area.
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Meanwhile, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and other supporters say the 85-acre, $90 million facility would replace inadequate training facilities and help the police department recruit and retain police officers.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.