ATLANTA — Ambassador Andrew Young and more community joined in a rally Wednesday afternoon to show their support for a proposed Atlanta Police Department training facility that has been weighed down with controversy.
Young, who also served as the 55th mayor of Atlanta, joined current Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, community groups like Just Brothers, 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Beloved Community, and KIPP Academy of Metro Atlanta to advocate for the facility.
Channel 2′s Michael Seiden was at the rally that remained peaceful.
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Several similar rallies over the past few months have not been as peaceful. Dozens of people have been arrested and charged with domestic terrorism after violent protests, one of which led to a raid that caused the death of one protester and left a state trooper in the hospital.
Protesters have claimed the facility threatens the environment and question why $90 million is being spent on what they call “Cop City.”
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“Every part of this project has been scrutinized and has been found to be fully compliant with the law and all environmental protection requirements,” Mayor Dickens said during the rally.
“We have to provide training for the young men and women who are keeping us safe, and that requires space, it requires the kind of operation we have here,” Young said.
Crews are in the early stages of beginning work on the facility. It is unclear when it could be completed.
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