Atlanta officers pelted with rocks, ‘Molotov cocktail’ at ‘Cop City' during protest, police say

Atlanta police officers were attacked by protesters Tuesday who threw rocks and an apparent Molotov cocktail during a demonstration at the future site of a public safety training center, authorities said.

At least eight people were detained on a variety of charges ranging from criminal trespass and obstruction of a law enforcement officer, Atlanta Police Department Assistant Chief Darin Schierbaum told reporters at the scene. He said no one was injured when someone threw a "glass container with an accelerant inside with a crude ignition device."

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Atlanta police made several arrests during a Tuesday protests when demonstrators allegedly threw rocks and a Molotov cocktail at officers near the site of a future training center, police said. (WAGA)

He noted that many of the protesters had driver's licenses from other states, including Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island and Virginia.

"There aren't individuals that represent the interest of the community that I stand here representing today," Schierbaum said. "We will not be deterred by the acts of a few that do not represent our community, and our community values and are attempting to harm first responders today."

Opponents of the training center call it "Cop City" and have held demonstrations in the area before. They contend the training center will destroy many acres of urban forest and won't help curb the city's crime problem.

The Atlanta site for a proposed police training facility. (WAGA)

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The council’s finance committee amended a plan to use 85 acres in DeKalb County for the facility, while moving to preserve the remainder as green space, Fox Atlanta reported.

The land is in unincorporated DeKalb County, but is owned by the City of Atlanta.