APD: 5 arrested after protesters chain themselves to equipment at public safety training center
By Web staff
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ATLANTA, Georgia (WANF) — Several people who went to protest Atlanta’s future public safety training center were arrested Thursday after Atlanta police said they trespassed onto the site where the facility will be.
Police said at around 9:30 a.m., five people had trespassed and chained themselves to a piece of construction equipment.
The group of protestors, which included faith leaders, said they went to the site, which is often referred to as “Cop City,” to deliver what they call the “The People’s Stop Work Order.”
Those arrested were:
Lalita Martin, 28, from Atlanta, was charged with trespassing, obstruction and reckless conduct Timothy Sullivan, 25, from Burlington, Mass., was charged with trespassing and obstruction Ayeola Whitworth, 25, from Atlanta, was charged with trespassing and obstruction David Dunn, 61, from Roswell, was charged with trespassing and obstruction Jeffrey Jones, 65, from Smyrna, was charged with trespassing and obstruction
Police said around 25 more people gathered outside the site to protest around the same time the other five were arrested.
“Additional resources were moved to the site and our local, state and federal law enforcement partners provided support to ensure the 1st Amendment rights and the safety of protestors were protected, as well as to ensure the work site remained safe and secure as work continued on the training center,” police said in a statement.
Protestors began leaving the area around 11 a.m. and police said there were no additional incidents.
The group said the construction of the training facility and “the destruction of the South River Forest” has continued “despite over 100,000 Atlanta residents signing a ballot initiative calling for a referendum on the issue.”
The names of those arrested have not been released.
This is a developing story. Check back with Atlanta News First for updates.
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