Activists kick-off week-long protest against Atlanta police training facility

ATLANTA — Protesters were back at the site of a controversial proposed police training center in DeKalb County on Saturday.

Organizers called Saturday’s rally at Gresham Park the kickoff for a week-long event where thousands of visitors are expected to tour the forested area.

Protesters told Channel 2 Action News they don’t want the city of Atlanta to use the property for a police training center.

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“They don’t need this. What we need is less cops, more people to help people in financial, health, mental health. We need that kind of health. We don’t need more police,” Lorraine Fontana told Channel 2 Action News.

In late February Channel 2 Action News learned Mayor Andre Dickens is creating a community task force to get input on what to do with that space.

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The decision to form the task force comes after a lawsuit a neighbor and an environmental group filed failed to stop the construction of the facility.

Police now have extra patrols in that area as construction continues after several incidents of violent protests in the past year.

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