Defend the right to protest! Defend the right to organize! Stop Cop City!
On August 29th, 61 individuals were indicted on RICO charges by the Attorney General’s Office in Atlanta,GA. These charges rely solely on support of the Stop Cop City movement, a grassroots effort to save the Weelaunee Forest and resist efforts to build a $90 million police training facility from being built. These bogus, trumped up charges attack bail fund organizers, legal observers, protestors, and community members listing May 25th 2020, the date that George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis, in all the indictments. This marks that these indictments are a clear attack on the movement for justice that had as many as 26 million in the streets demanding real change for their communities and growing organizations in cities across the country as the people have continued fighting for what they deserve.
This is the latest in a string of repression facing activists in Atlanta. With the murder of forest defender Tortuguita by Atlanta police in January, mass arrests and false domestic terrorism charges of 23 community members attending a solidarity festival in March, and the arrest of the Atlanta Solidarity Fund 3 in May, the state’s attacks on the movement continue to come. However, despite the attack, the movement comes back fiercer and more determined to shut down the Cop City project.
Founded from the struggle to free Angela Davis from a racist frame-up, the National Alliance Against Racist and Political has been a defense organization fighting to maintain the wins that the movement has earned by struggling against political repression in all forms. In this moment, we’re seeing growing repression from Tampa, FL, where 5 student activists are facing a decade in prison for defending diversity programs in education. As an organization, we find it necessary to stand with the fighters in our movement and demand that their charges be dropped immediately. Moreso, it is the duty of the masses of people to stand up and fight to crush this repression in any way we see it.
The National Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression stands firmly with those fighting charges and the demands that not only the RICO charges but all charges against them be dropped immediately. We stand in solidarity with the 61 and show our unwavering commitment to defending all who stand for peace, justice, and with the people!
Stop Cop City!
Drop the Charges on the 61!