2 training center protesters chain themselves to construction equipment in midtown Atlanta

ATLANTA — A midtown Atlanta street has been shut down after officials say two protesters chained themselves to construction equipment.

Protesters of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center told Channel 2 Action News that two of their fellow protesters locked themselves to equipment at the Brasfield and Gorrie work site on 12th and Juniper.

Brasfield & Gorrie is one of the head contractors for the Atlanta Public Training Center. The construction company is also a donor to the Atlanta Police Foundation.

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Channel 2 Action News cameras were on the scene and watched as a large group of Atlanta Public Safety Training Center protesters cheered on the two chained-up members from across the street.

The protest caused major traffic delays for drivers.

“I got a call from my hairdresser this morning alerting me that there were protests and I would have difficulty getting here,” Midtown resident Julie Allen said. “I didn’t want my hairdresser to lose her income for the day.”

Channel 2 Action News contacted the Atlanta Police Department for a statement but has not received a response.

Atlanta Public Training Center protesters previously targeted Brasfield & Gorrie after a group of protesters vandalized the contractor’s offices in Cobb County.

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This is the second incident within a week involving a company that has worked on the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center after construction equipment belonging to Empire Zephyr was set on fire off Burroughs Street on Friday.

Channel 2 has reported on more than a dozen acts of vandalism against contractors associated with the facility’s construction in metro Atlanta and across the country.

Most recently several pieces of equipment were torched at a site in Southeast Atlanta.

“It belongs to a private contractor, but more importantly, I need to drive home the point that we are in the communities of the city of Atlanta. We are close to private homes where families live. And we have arson events that are occurring. This has got to stop,” Atlanta Fire Chief Roderick Smith said at a press conference on Burroughs Street.

Channel 2 Action News has reported on more than a dozen acts of vandalism against contractors or agencies in metro Atlanta.

Atlanta police and state law enforcement announced in 2023 a reward amount of up to $200,000 for tips leading to an arrest.

The two protesters who were arrested on Monday were charged with criminal trespassing.

The protesters planned to hold another protest Monday evening at the Fulton County Jail for the two people who were arrested.

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