ATLANTA — There have been more than 80 acts of violence that have been reported across the country involving protestors against the Atlanta Public Safety Training Facility, according to police.
The most recent violent attack was an arson that occurred Friday morning. The fire started around 5 a.m. at what appears to be new townhomes being built in a community called Empire Zephyr.
“This arson attack is an attempt to stop that investment of the safety of Atlanta,” said Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum.
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Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln was at a news conference on Friday where Atlanta police and fire officials called for a string of arsons targeting construction companies to stop.
“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.
Channel 2 Action News has reported on more than a dozen acts of vandalism against contractors or agencies in metro Atlanta.
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However, protests have happened outside of state lines. The City of Atlanta reports more than 80 criminal instances, resulting in more than 173 arrests. Of those crimes, 23 were acts of arson, damaging 81 pieces of equipment and buildings.
Atlanta police says, overall, 23 states have been targeted, including Florida, South Carolina and Alabama.
In Atlanta, protestors have even used Molotov cocktails to target people and buildings. Channel 2 Action News has reported on police vehicles being set on fire, the raiding of the construction site, and on at least three occasions, a Gwinnett County contractor’s equipment was set on fire.
Last week, protestors vandalized construction equipment at the training facility site.
Atlanta police and state law enforcement announced in 2023 a reward amount of up to $200,000 for tips leading to an arrest.
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