Sako Chapman and Kaylee Padilla
Weelaunee Forest Defenders of the Stop Cop City movement visited Evergreen on Monday, 10/2 as a part of the Weelaunee Worldwide: Mass Action Speaking Tour. To a lecture hall filled with more people than seats available, forest defender Sam gave a presentation on the upcoming mobilization to Atlanta planned for November 10-13.
Cop City, as stated on the Stop Cop City website is “a war base where police will learn military-like maneuvers to kill black people and control our bodies and movements. The facility includes shooting ranges, plans for bomb testing, and will practice tear gas deployment. They are practicing how to make sure poor and working class people stay in line.” The city’s concept came into fruition after the 2020 killing of George Floyd and protests that followed. The overwhelming voice of the people called for reformation to lessen the capabilities of police forces. But that call of action showed to be irrelevant, as officials in Atlanta are now attempting to resolidify police presence in the community and taking aggressive action in doing so.
“Cop City is a house of cards,” Sam explained, while giving a timeline overview of the resistance movement against the 90 million dollar Police urban warfare Training facility. They described the past two years of forest occupations, boycotts, arrests, and the murder of Tortuguita. Noting that the affected portion of the forest, about 380 acres, is part of Atlanta’s rich natural environment The presenter detailed the importance of the forest’s preservation, as it is also land that was stolen from the Muskogee tribe in the 1820s. Not only would that further cease acknowledgement of native land that was taken, but it will be used to build a city based entirely around further suppression of the people.
The invitation is to a mass nonviolent direct action campaign. On November 13th, supporters from around the country will be occupying the forest and blocking the impending construction for the first time since Tort’s death. Sam invited all of the participants to think about how they wanted to contribute, from action at home to mobilizing out to Atlanta. And calling upon all who has knowledge of this call to action to contribute as much as they have the means to do so.
To learn more about the mobilization visit blockcopcity.org and follow @stopcopcity on X, formerly known as Twitter, for updates.
