Protesters arrested, protesting a new police training center being built in Atlanta

Protesters were arrested after activists gathered Saturday to protest a police training center being built in Atlanta.

About 50 protestors met at Freedom Park on Saturday for the protest.

“We’re a part of the movement to defend the forest. The forest is also known as the South River Forest,” said Kay, who requested that they only be identified by their first name.

This protest is against the Atlanta City Council’s approval in 2021 of the construction of a new police and fire training center.  The center will be built on 85 acres just east of city limits, at an old Atlanta prison farm on Keys Road.

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On Saturday, protestors, including Sarah Abdelaziz, said they don’t approve of the plan.

“Atlanta is a place that’s better off climate-wise because of the tree canopy. Another reason is gentrification and what having a huge cop-militarized forest would do to further gentrification in this city,” said Abdelaziz.

Shortly after we talked to protesters, they started to march down Moreland Avenue.

A Channel 2 viewer gave Channel 2′s Larry Spruill cell phone video that showed several protesters on the ground with zip ties around their wrists.

Channel 2 cameras also recorded an Atlanta Police prisoners van and police officers with zip tie cuffs.

Around the corner from that scene, our cameras saw three police units.

Channel 2 reached out to Atlanta Police about this situation. A representative said, “Units responded to a gathering of multiple persons in the area of Moreland Ave and Euclid. I do not have arrest details at this time, but the crowd has been dispersed.”

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The City of Atlanta said this about the new training facility: “This training facility will not only help boost morale, retention and recruitment of our public safety personnel, but will give us physical space to ensure that our officers and firefighters are receiving 21st century training, rooted in respect and regard for the communities they serve. We will continue to work with the impacted communities on how to best thoughtfully develop and preserve the surrounding property.”

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