ATLANTA — People working to stop Atlanta from building a public safety training facility in Dekalb County are holding what they call a week of action.
It is seven days of events, marches, and discussions to bring awareness to their efforts.
“There was probably 200, 300 people here at some point, delicious lunch, a bounce house, of course, kids running around, music,” said Kay Diliza.
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Day one was in Brownwood Park Saturday, and organizers say all events ran according to schedule until around 8:30 p.m.
That is when more than 20 Atlanta Police officers stood in formation and walked up and told the group the park closes at 11 p.m.
Police then walked through the park to tell others about the rules. However, protestors followed them, chanting, clapping, and singing until they left.
It came at a time when the group was about to hold a vigil for a protestor killed in January.
A trooper shot Manuel Teran when conducting what Georgia Bureau of Investigation called a multi-jurisdiction operation to remove protestors who set up camp in the wooded area near the construction site.
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GBI said Teran fired at troopers first.
Protestors were about to hold their vigil for Teran Saturday when police arrived at the park.
Around 10:30 p.m., most protestors and organizers had left the park.
Police continued patrolling the area.
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Day two of the action week will continue Sunday. A key event involves a potentially powerful petition.
The group will be out, canvassing the area around the training center, asking voters to sign the petition. If they get about 70,000 signatures, or 15 percent of Atlanta voters, the training center plan could end up on the November ballot and voters will have the power to decide if they want it.
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