Running Down The Walls


rdtw-2023.png

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Sunday, September 17, 2023
11 am sharp (Yoga warm-up at 10am)
FDR Park


RDTW 2023

Philadelphia Anarchist Black Cross and MXGM Philly invite you to our sixth annual Running Down The Walls (RDTW)! Join us for another revolutionary 5K run/walk/roll and day of solidarity amplifying the voices of our comrades behind bars, lifting them up in their struggles, and maintaining material support. We will ship official shirts nationwide to people who register to participate remotely, pay online and leave their shipping address in the comment box! If you’re joining us in person and would like to participate in light yoga and warm-up stretches before, please arrive by 10am and bring a mat if you can.

Running is not required! You can also walk, roll, or cheer. 5K is two loops around the park and at a walking pace will take about 45-60 minutes. Light refreshments and socializing will take place in the park afterward.

This year’s event will benefit the ABCF Warchest and Weelaunee forest defenders facing repression from the ongoing efforts to #StopCopCity. Join us as we once again raise energy and funds for the freedom of political prisoners and the struggles they are caged for.

Cop City Will Never Be Built!

Vive vive Tortuguita!

#StopCopCity #DefendWeelaunee #JusticeForTort

If you cannot make it to the event or would like to make an additional contribution, please sponsor a participant either outside prison, inside prison, or one of each. Contact us for more information on sponsoring!

The ABCF Warchest program sends monthly stipends to political prisoners and prisoners of war who have insufficient, little, or no financial support. Since inception, the program has gathered almost $235,000, and this year’s event is sure to bump that over $250,000! Due to the abominable conditions that political prisoners and freedom fighters are subjected to, and the prevalence of health issues from medical neglect, they need our support now more than ever. Join us as we celebrate our successes this last year and build momentum for the struggles ahead! We will both celebrate Dr. Mutulu Shakur’s release from prison since our last event and recommit ourselves to the ideals he dedicated his life to <3.

Register for the 5K

Thanks for your support by running/walking/rolling the 5K! Everyone must fill out the following form to register NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 3RD so that you receive your official shirt the day of the event.

The registration fee of $40 confirms your place at the event and covers your t-shirt. We can accept credit/debit donations online or cash/check/money order on the day of event. Make checks and money orders out to Tim Fasnacht. Additional funds over the $40 base fee raised through sponsorships are more than welcome (see our fundraising tips below).

After submitting the following registration form, please allow 24 – 48 hours for your confirmation email. Check your Spam folder if the message does not appear in your Inbox. If you did not receive a confirmation email, please get in touch with us at phillyabc[at]riseup[dot]net.

Registration is closed but you can still donate to support the event! Email us for more info.

Onsite security strives to make Philadelphia RDTW a safer space event. If you experience harrassment or abuse at the event, or if someone who has engaged in such behavior is adversely affecting your participation, please come to a volunteer. Experienced advocates, medics and support people are available.


Tips to Get Sponsors for your 5K Participation:

Many participants will pay the $40 registration fee on their own but if you would like to get sponsored instead, here’s a few tips and ideas to get you started.

  • Make a list of potential donors. Friends, family, co-workers, neighbors…think creatively and include everyone you can think of (it doesn’t hurt to ask). Who might be supportive? Who cares about similar causes? Decide to ask for a specific amount that you think will be within your prospective sponsor’s budget (for instance $1-8 for each kilometer).

  • Hand-write request letters. Deliver them personally if possible. Write your letter in a genuine tone and reference your relationship. Email is faster, but many will be less likely to forget a letter (than an email in a crowded inbox) and they’ll appreciate the personal touch. Include a self-addressed envelope for people to mail checks. Use email to follow up with those who don’t respond.

  • Make it personal and face to face. Ask for support from the people you see regularly, and ask in person. People respond to eye contact, assertiveness and passion. Tell them why you’re inspired to support political prisoners and their stories. Practice the conversation beforehand if you think it might be difficult to find words in the moment.

  • Use all communication tools available- Phone calls, text, social media, websites, and email to reach broader networks. If you’re trying to appeal to an organization, make it clear that the event can be a source of positive press for them. Ask them to match the donations of other groups if possible. You could even start a crowdfunding page for your run. Add quality images and tell a story to engage people. Share it on social media and encourage your friends to do the same. Use letters and other communications to direct people to your crowdfunding page.

  • Follow up, provide updates and say ‘thank you.’ Remember to reconnect to your sponsors with photos and stories from the event and thank them for their support.

History

Since 1999, the Anarchist Black Cross Federation, incarcerated people and support organizations across the country participate in Running Down The Walls (RDTW) . This annual 5K run/walk/roll event is to show solidarity and raise funds for numerous political prisoners in Turtle Island. Funds raised are typically split between the ABCF Warchest and a community group chosen by the host group. Each year, incarcerated comrades participate by running inside prison. This event brings us closer together each year, strengthens our bond, and lets people behind bars know they are not forgotten!

The Warchest program receives donations from ABC chapters and other individuals and then disperses the funds to the recipients in the program. Since initiation in November 1994, the program has raised almost $235,000. The current Warchest recipients are:

In past years, Running Down the Walls was held in Albuquerque (NM), Arcata (CA), Ashland (OR), Austin (TX), Bellefonte (PA), Bloomington (IN), Boston (MA), Brooklyn (NY), Buffalo (NY), Chicago (IL), Chico (CA), Denver (CO), Hamilton (Ontario), Elmore (AL), Guelph (Ontario), Inez (KY), Los Angeles (CA), Lowell (MA), Marion (IL), Middletown (CT), Minneapolis (MN), USP Navosta (TX), New York (NY), Oakland (CA), Pelican Bay (CA), Phoenix (AZ), Pittsburgh (PA), Riverside (CA), FCI Sandstone (MN), Seattle (WA), Tucson (AZ), and Toronto (Ontario).

Time is of the essence to rally together and #StopCopCity

Background

Since time immemorial, Muscogee people lived and thrived around the area now known as Weelaunee forest. In 1783, an illegal treaty negotiation between the State of Georgia and Muscogee began a long saga of land theft and broken promises. The land was sold between settlers until in 1922, a dairy farm became the Atlanta City Prison & Farm, which operated until the late 1980s. To learn more, read A Brief History of the Atlanta Prison Farm.

As early as 2017, the Atlanta Police Foundation proposed destroying hundreds of acres of the Weelaunee Forest to build a massive compound that would train cops from around the world in militarized police tactics and urban warfare. In contrast, the Weelaunee forest is crucial and provides natural protection from flooding as well as habitat for migratory animals. Also called the South River forest, it has been a long-time refuge for nearby majority Black and brown immigrant communities, poor, and working-class people.


What We’re Up Against

The full Cop City proposal came in 2020 immediately after the national uprisings, and when folks in Atlanta mobilized around the police murder of Rayshard Brooks. While people all over the country were calling for divesting from the police, community control over public safety and investing in alternatives that enhance public safety, the corporate establishment and Atlanta officials forged ahead with the project to demonstrate their commitment to police and to develop a tactical site to stop mass movements and continue harassment of Black poor and working class communities. Plans for the $90 million project– with $60 million from corporations and $30 million from the City– include military-grade training facilities, a mock city to practice urban warfare, explosives testing areas, dozens of shooting ranges, and a Black Hawk helicopter landing pad. Cop City plans are supported by the Atlanta Committee for Progress, composed of over 40 corporate elites including the CEOs of Coca-Cola, Home Depot and Cox Enterprises, which owns the local newspaper The Atlanta Journal Constitution. Financial institutions backing the project include Wells Fargo and SunTrust.

To be clear — cop city is not just a controversial training center. It 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. So when the police kill us in the streets again, like they did to Rayshard Brooks in 2020, they can control our protests and community response to how they continually murder our people.

–Kwame Olufemi, Community Movement Builders

In September 2021, the City of Atlanta leased 381 acres of Weelaunee Forest to the Atlanta Police Foundation for Cop City. While proponents have stated that 85 acres of forest are slated to be destroyed independent drone footage shows an area roughly twice that size that set to be compromised. In January 2023, the City and State headed by right wing Governor Kemp escalated their attacks creating a police “task force” made up of the Atlanta Police Department, the DeKalb County Police Department, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security. The Task Force began arresting those engaged in “civil disobedience” simply by camping in the forest and charging them with domestic terrorism. On January 18th, additional raids took place with more arrests and the killing of a forest defender, Manuel “Tortuguita” Teran.


Ongoing Resistance

The movement to Stop Cop City and defend the Weelaunee Forest involves people from across the country, and even the world, answering the call to stand in solidarity with defenders of the Weelaunee Forest and ensure that Cop City is never built. In 2021, abolitionists, forest defenders and community members escalated the campaign to Stop Cop City and began a long term encampment in the Weelaunee Forest. Calls to the city council on the night of their vote to lease the public forest to the Atlanta Police Foundation showed that 70 percent of Atlanta was opposed to Cop City. Yet the Council and the Mayor moved forward. In June 2021, after organizers called, testified and met with officials to no avail, the movement began holding rallies. Demonstrators were immediately pepper-sprayed, attacked, threatened and violently arrested by the police. These tactics by the police escalated when forest defenders committed acts of civil disobedience by making the forest their home to stop the destruction of Weelaunee forest.

Despite numerous arrests and the murder of Tort, the struggle continues. Over forty people have been charged under Georgia’s domestic terrorism statute in connection—or alleged connection—to the Stop Cop City movement. Three people from the Atlanta Solidarity Fund, a local bail fund established in 2016, were even arrested and still face trumped-up charges. Gathering funds to support the forest defenders and fortify the struggle is of national importance.


Call to Action

From calling and emailing targets, to organizing solidarity protests and actions–a diversity of tactics is respected and there are many ways to help Stop Cop City. On September 17th, we join the call and run down the walls in solidarity with Weelaunee forest defenders, all comrades behind bars, and to honor Tort. Join us!


Resources

Timeline of resistance, repression, and other notable events

This is an attempt to condense notable events since the start of resistance to Cop City, and will be continually updated from additional resources. Do not assume this to be a complete timeline. If you see something missing and would like to contribute, please email us at [email protected] ( GPG key ).




June 23rd - 26th, 2021

Forest defenders held a week of action including marches, educational programs, and concerts. Dozens of Atlanta residents called into a City Council finance meeting to speak against Cop City.


[1] Resistance To “Cop City” Project That Would Destroy Forest Continues To Expand In Atlanta

November 12th, 2021

Activists march at the offices of Reeves Young, a construction company hired to bulldoze the Atlanta Forest.


[1] Office Of Construction Company Contracted To Destroy The Atlanta Forest And Build Cop City Disrupted

December 17th, 2021

Law enforcement raided an encampment in the Atlanta Forest, destroying structures but making no arrests.


[1] Resistance To Defend Atlanta Forest From ‘Cop City’ Continues Despite Police Raid

January 18th, 2022

Land defenders successfully halt construction in the Atlanta Forest and escape with zero arrests.


[1] Resistance To ‘Cop City’ In Atlanta Heats Up As Construction Is Halted, Trees Occupied

January 24th - 28th, 2022

Forest defenders held another week of action to directly resist construction in the South River Forest. 4-6 were arrested.


[1] Defending The Atlanta Forest: Background And Reportback On Week Of Action

April 25th, 2022

In the face of continued direct action and community opposition, Reeves Young backed out of the Cop City project.


[1] In The Face Of Community Mobilization, Construction Contractor Backs Out Of ‘Cop City’ Project In Atlanta

May 9th, 2022

A group of 30-40 protestors converge in front of the home of Shepherd Long, Principal of Long Engineering, an engineering firm subcontracted for pre-contruction work on Cop City. Protestors demanded the firm withdrawl from their contract with Brasfield and Gorrie.


A bulldozer accompanied by two off-duty Dekalb County cops bulldozed a path through a public park before being expelled by 30-40 community responders.


[1] Atlanta Fights to Save Its Forest

[2] Off-Duty Police Protecting Forest Destroying Bulldozer Pushed Out Of Atlanta Forest By Land Defenders

May 12th, 2022

Five people were arrested following a protest at the corporate office of Brasfield & Gorrie, the general contractors hired to build Cop City, and booked on several charges, including some felonies.


[1] “Cop City” General Contractors’ Offices Attacked

May 17th, 2022

Law enforcement from several jurisdictions, including SWAT teams armed with rifles, conducted a raid on the burgeoning autonomous zone in Weelaunee Forest, arresting eight people and destroying six treehouses and other forest defense infrastructure.


[1] Police Raid Atlanta Forest Occupation

[2] “On Many Fronts”: Why One Atlanta Resident Is Fighting To Stop Cop City

June 2nd, 2022

Forest defenders used rocks and fireworks to successfully halt construction on the edge of the Atlanta Forest. No arrests were made.


[1] Atlanta, GA: Forest Defenders Stop Construction And Bulldozer

June 6th, 2022

Forest defenders erected two new tree-sits as police and contracted workers continue to attempt to begin work in the Atlanta Forest.


[1] As Public Opposition Grows, Atlanta Police Attempt To Begin Work On Cop City, Protestors Occupy Trees

June 19th, 2022

Forest defenders celebrated Juneteenth and two weeks of successful construction blockage by erecting a series of new tree-sits.


[1] Atlanta, GA: More Tree-Sits Erected On Juneteenth As Construction Continues To Be Blocked

December 13th - 14th, 2022

SWAT teams and other armed police officers from eight different federal, state, county, and city police agencies conducted a raid on those camping out in the Atlanta forest. Police shot tear gas and plastic bullets and forced people out of the forest at gunpoint, arresting 12 and charging 6 of them with state-level domestic terrorism.


Supporters immediately held noise demos outside the DeKalb County Jail.


[1] SWAT Teams Attack Atlanta Forest Encampments, Activists Charged with ‘Terrorism’

[2] Noise Demo In Atlanta Follows Violent Arrests Of Forest Defenders

December 15, 2022

Magistrate Judge Claire Jason denied bond to five of the arrestees from the December 13th & 14th raids,stating “Each of you have been charged with domestic terrorism…You did participate in actions of DTAF, Defend the Atlanta Forest, a group that’s been classified by the United States Department of Homeland Security as a domestic violent extremist group.”


[1] SWAT Teams Attack Atlanta Forest Encampments, Activists Charged with ‘Terrorism’

December 17th, 2022

Around 200 people demonstrated in East Atlanta Village in solidarity with arrested forest defenders.


Philadelphians dropped banners in solidarity with arrested forest defenders.


[1] “We Are All Forest Defenders”: Atlanta Takes To The Streets Against Repression

[2] banner for forest defenders

[3] Banners Dropped In Philadelphia In Solidarity With Fight To Stop Cop City

December 21st - 22nd, 2022

Blackhall Real Estate Phase II, LLC, instructed its contractors to dig up the park’s concrete parking lot, trailhead, and the South River Trail that runs through the woods, as well as to remove the park’s gazebo and fell and mulch trees.


[1] Blackhall Intensifies Destruction of Weelaunee People’s Park in Atlanta Forest

December 27th, 2022

All six arrestees from the December 13th & 14th raids are granted bail totaling $51,000 with amounts per defendant ranging from $6,000 to $13,500. The were ordered to report to “pretrial services” within 48 hours, and to refrain from contact with codefendants and “Defend Atlanta Forest on social media.”


[1] SWAT Teams Attack Atlanta Forest Encampments, Activists Charged with ‘Terrorism’

December 28th, 2022

DeKalb County issues a ‘Stop Work Order’ to Ryan Millsap and Blackhall Real Estate Phase II, LLC because Millsap failed to acquire the necessary permit to legally remove trees.


[1] Blackhall Intensifies Destruction of Weelaunee People’s Park in Atlanta Forest

January 18th, 2023

Police shot dozens of rounds at and killed a forest defender who went by the name Tortuguita or ‘Tort’ as they were seated in their tent.


[1] Protester Shot and Killed by Officers During Raid on Atlanta Forest

[2] Justice For Tort

[3] Kite Line: A Police Murder In The Atlanta Forest

[4] Police Murder ‘Cop City’ Protestor In Atlanta Forest

January 19th - 23rd, 2023

Supporters mobilize at a Minneapolis office of Atlas Technical Consultants, a company contracted to help build Cop City.


Hundreds of protesters gathered in downtown Atlanta to remember Tortuguita. 300-400 people marched, smashed windows at a Wells Fargo bank (a major funder of Cop City), and set a police cruiser on fire. At least five people were arrested.


Vigils, rallies, and actions all over North America convene to respond to the police killing of Tort.


A crowd of masked people show solidarity from Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territory (so-called Vancouver, Canada).


Philly vigil and stroll for Tortuguita held at a turtle sculpture in Clark Park.


At a Seattle vigil, police arrest several mourners.


[1] Mobilization Against ‘Cop City’ Hits Offices Of Atlas Technical Consultants In Minnesota

[2] Bank Backing ‘Cop City’ Targeted As Hundreds Take To Streets Of Atlanta Following Police Killing

[3] Marches and Vigils Across the US Respond to the Police Killing of Forest Defender Tort

[4] Rallies In Solidarity With Fight To Stop ‘Cop City’ Spread After Police Murder Forest Defender

[5] Actions And Rallies In Solidarity With Fight Against ‘Cop City’ Grows Over Weekend

[6] Report Back From March In Vancouver, BC In Solidarity With Tortuguita And Fight To ‘Stop Cop City’

[7] Vigil and Stroll for Tortuguita

[8] Seattle, WA: Mourners Arrested At Vigil For Tort

January 24th, 2023

A crowd marches through the offices of Cushman & Wakefield in Milwaukee, Oregon, chanting “Stop Cop City” and distributing flyers. A Cushman & Wakefield’s executive, John O’Neill III, sits on the board for the Atlanta Police Foundation.


[1] Daniel V. Media Tweet

[2] ‘Stop Cop City’ Protesters March On Office Of Cushman & Wakefield In Milwaukie, OR

January 31st, 2023

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced that the City of Atlanta and DeKalb County have reached an agreement regarding permitting issues that had previously slowed their plans.


[1] City of Atlanta and DeKalb County Announce ‘Agreement’ Amid Growing Opposition to Cop City

February 8th, 2023

The Atlanta Police Department released body camera footage captured during the multi-jurisdictional raid in the South River Forest that resulted in police killing of Tort.


[1] Atlanta PD Releases Bodycam Footage from Deadly Jan. 18 Forest Raid

February 18th, 2023

Protesters demonstrate outside the DC homes of Georgia senators Warnock and Ossoff.


[1] Cop City Protesters Rally Outside Homes Of Georgia Senators In DC

February 19th - 26th, 2023

Cities across the country take part in a week of action against Cop City.


[1] Cities Across The US Take Part In ‘Week Of Action’ Against Cop City

[2] Protesters Rally Against Cop City Outside Of Brasfield & Gorrie Office In Miami, FL

February 24th, 2023

Cop City opponents in Philadelphia rally at City Hall then marched to the offices of AXA, an insurance corporation targeted for providing liability coverage to Brasfield Gorrie, a general contractor hired by the Atlanta Police Foundation.


[1] Supporters of ‘Cop City’ Opponents Rally in Philly

[2] Report Back Philadelphia Demonstration Outside Of Law Firm Supporting Cop City

March 4th, 2023

Stop Cop City week of action commenced by Atlanta-area forest defenders, community activists and their allies from around the country and the world.


[1] ‘Stop Cop City’ Week of Action Begins in Atlanta

March 5th, 2023

At least 30 people were arrested at a music festival in the South River Forest as police violently attack festival attendees and threaten to shoot them. Twenty-three of the arrestees were charged with domestic terrorism. A large direct action at a police security outpost takes place the same day.


In observance of the Stop Cop City Week of Action, an unaffiliated group of forest friends rally outside of an Atlas office in Avon, Massachusetts.


[1] Police Raid Atlanta Forest After ‘Cop City’ Opponents Overrun Security Post

[2] The Show Must Go On: On Sunday’s Arrests At The South River Music Festival

[3] Report Back From Rally In Solidarity With Resistance To Cop City In Avon, MA

March 6th, 2023

A group of elders and a young person in support, held banners and handed out flyers while visiting the corporate offices of Brasfield & Gorrie, as well as five B&G worksites around Atlanta, to demand the company to Drop Cop City.


[1] Atlanta, GA: Elders Say Stop Cop City!

2023 03 07

In solidarity with Defend the Atlanta Forest, WDS-NYC calls for Banyan Street Capital, the real estate firm that owns 191 Peachtree Towers, to end their lease agreement with the Atlanta Police Foundation. Demonstrators erected tents, give speeches, handed out flyers, and held a banner.


[1] Temporary Occupation In NYC Calls For Divestment From ‘Cop City’ In Atlanta, GA

March 8th, 2023

Community members and supporters held a noise demo outside the DeKalb County Jail to protest the incarceration of music festival attendees.

[1] Report Back From Noise Demo In Support Of Those Facing ‘Domestic Terrorism’ Charges In Atlanta, GA

March 10th - 13th, 2023

Forest defenders held the Weelaunee Food Autonomy Festival following a week of action. Hundreds of people from around the continent camp out in the Weelaunee Forest to engage in workshops, discussions, and skillshares on food production and distribution outside of and against the state.


[1] “We Are Not In The Least Afraid Of Ruins”: Food Autonomy In The Weelaunee Forest

April 21st - 23rd, 2023

Cities around the country held demonstrations, fundraisers, concerts, and other solidarity events to mark Tortuguita’s birthday.


[1] Cities Across The US Are Mobilizing To Honor Tortuguita’s Birthday And Stop Cop City

April 28th, 2023

Three people arrested in Bartow County, Georgia and given felony charge of “Intimidate Law Enforcement officer/family in retaliation to discharge of duties by force” for allegedly providing the public with information about the officers who killed Tortuguita at the neighborhood where one of the officers lives.


[1] Three Face Felonies for Allegedly Flyering Near Home of One Georgia Trooper Tied to Killing of Forest Defender

May 4th, 2023

Judges in Fulton and DeKalb Counties upheld domestic terrorism charges against individuals arrested at a January 21st protest and March 5th music festival.


[1] Judges Uphold Domestic Terrorism Charges Against Stop Cop City Activists

May 15th, 2023

Hundreds of Atlantans spoke out for hours at a city council meeting against the proposed authorization of $33.5 million taxpayer dollars for the construction of Cop City.


[1] ‘We Do Not Need a School for Assassins’: Hours of Public Comment Unanimously Against ‘Cop City’

[2] Storming In: Struggle In Atlanta Against Cop City Continues Despite Repression

May 31st, 2023

Three members of the Atlanta Solidarity Fund were arrested during a raid by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Atlanta Police Department and charged with money laundering and charity fraud.


[1] Three Atlanta Activists Arrested, Home Raided Over Bail Fund

[2] Atlanta Police And Georgia Bureau Of Investigation Raid Atlanta Solidarity Fund, Arrest Three Organizers

[3] Kite Line: Raid On The The Atlanta Solidarity Fund

June 6th, 2023

Despite hundreds of speakers who voiced their opposition to funding ‘Cop City’ over a 14-hour public comment period, Atlanta City Council approved $67 million in funding.


[1] Atlanta City Council Approves $67 Million in Public Funds for ‘Cop City’

June 8th, 2023

A national day of action convenes against Nationwide Insurance, Brasfield and Gorrie, the general contractor of the Cop City project, and Cadence Bank, a major lender to the project.


[1] ‘Cop City’ Protesters Visit Nationwide Insurance

June 24th - July 1st, 2023

Another Stop Cop City week of action commenced by Atlanta-area forest defenders, community activists and their allies from around the country and the world.


Protesters in Columbus, Ohio storm the headquarters of Nationwide, which insures Cop City projects.


[1] ‘Stop Cop City’ Week of Action Begins: Day 1

[2] Notes From The Atlanta Forest: Day One Of The Week Of Action

[3] Report From Day Two Of The Defend The Atlanta Forest Week Of Action

[4] Report From Day Three And Four Of The Defend The Atlanta Forest Week Of Action

[5] Report From Day Five And Six Of The Defend The Atlanta Forest Week Of Action

[6] Protestors Target Nationwide Insurance Over Their Connections To Atlanta’s “Cop City” Project

June 23rd - 26th, 2021

Forest defenders held a week of action including marches, educational programs, and concerts. Dozens of Atlanta residents called into a City Council finance meeting to speak against Cop City.


[1] Resistance To “Cop City” Project That Would Destroy Forest Continues To Expand In Atlanta

November 12th, 2021

Activists march at the offices of Reeves Young, a construction company hired to bulldoze the Atlanta Forest.


[1] Office Of Construction Company Contracted To Destroy The Atlanta Forest And Build Cop City Disrupted

December 17th, 2021

Law enforcement raided an encampment in the Atlanta Forest, destroying structures but making no arrests.


[1] Resistance To Defend Atlanta Forest From ‘Cop City’ Continues Despite Police Raid

January 18th, 2022

Land defenders successfully halt construction in the Atlanta Forest and escape with zero arrests.


[1] Resistance To ‘Cop City’ In Atlanta Heats Up As Construction Is Halted, Trees Occupied

January 24th - 28th, 2022

Forest defenders held another week of action to directly resist construction in the South River Forest. 4-6 were arrested.


[1] Defending The Atlanta Forest: Background And Reportback On Week Of Action

April 25th, 2022

In the face of continued direct action and community opposition, Reeves Young backed out of the Cop City project.


[1] In The Face Of Community Mobilization, Construction Contractor Backs Out Of ‘Cop City’ Project In Atlanta

May 9th, 2022

A group of 30-40 protestors converge in front of the home of Shepherd Long, Principal of Long Engineering, an engineering firm subcontracted for pre-contruction work on Cop City. Protestors demanded the firm withdrawl from their contract with Brasfield and Gorrie.


A bulldozer accompanied by two off-duty Dekalb County cops bulldozed a path through a public park before being expelled by 30-40 community responders.


[1] Atlanta Fights to Save Its Forest

[2] Off-Duty Police Protecting Forest Destroying Bulldozer Pushed Out Of Atlanta Forest By Land Defenders

May 12th, 2022

Five people were arrested following a protest at the corporate office of Brasfield & Gorrie, the general contractors hired to build Cop City, and booked on several charges, including some felonies.


[1] “Cop City” General Contractors’ Offices Attacked

May 17th, 2022

Law enforcement from several jurisdictions, including SWAT teams armed with rifles, conducted a raid on the burgeoning autonomous zone in Weelaunee Forest, arresting eight people and destroying six treehouses and other forest defense infrastructure.


[1] Police Raid Atlanta Forest Occupation

[2] “On Many Fronts”: Why One Atlanta Resident Is Fighting To Stop Cop City

June 2nd, 2022

Forest defenders used rocks and fireworks to successfully halt construction on the edge of the Atlanta Forest. No arrests were made.


[1] Atlanta, GA: Forest Defenders Stop Construction And Bulldozer

June 6th, 2022

Forest defenders erected two new tree-sits as police and contracted workers continue to attempt to begin work in the Atlanta Forest.


[1] As Public Opposition Grows, Atlanta Police Attempt To Begin Work On Cop City, Protestors Occupy Trees

June 19th, 2022

Forest defenders celebrated Juneteenth and two weeks of successful construction blockage by erecting a series of new tree-sits.


[1] Atlanta, GA: More Tree-Sits Erected On Juneteenth As Construction Continues To Be Blocked

December 13th - 14th, 2022

SWAT teams and other armed police officers from eight different federal, state, county, and city police agencies conducted a raid on those camping out in the Atlanta forest. Police shot tear gas and plastic bullets and forced people out of the forest at gunpoint, arresting 12 and charging 6 of them with state-level domestic terrorism.


Supporters immediately held noise demos outside the DeKalb County Jail.


[1] SWAT Teams Attack Atlanta Forest Encampments, Activists Charged with ‘Terrorism’

[2] Noise Demo In Atlanta Follows Violent Arrests Of Forest Defenders

December 15, 2022

Magistrate Judge Claire Jason denied bond to five of the arrestees from the December 13th & 14th raids,stating “Each of you have been charged with domestic terrorism…You did participate in actions of DTAF, Defend the Atlanta Forest, a group that’s been classified by the United States Department of Homeland Security as a domestic violent extremist group.”


[1] SWAT Teams Attack Atlanta Forest Encampments, Activists Charged with ‘Terrorism’

December 17th, 2022

Around 200 people demonstrated in East Atlanta Village in solidarity with arrested forest defenders.


Philadelphians dropped banners in solidarity with arrested forest defenders.


[1] “We Are All Forest Defenders”: Atlanta Takes To The Streets Against Repression

[2] banner for forest defenders

[3] Banners Dropped In Philadelphia In Solidarity With Fight To Stop Cop City

December 21st - 22nd, 2022

Blackhall Real Estate Phase II, LLC, instructed its contractors to dig up the park’s concrete parking lot, trailhead, and the South River Trail that runs through the woods, as well as to remove the park’s gazebo and fell and mulch trees.


[1] Blackhall Intensifies Destruction of Weelaunee People’s Park in Atlanta Forest

December 27th, 2022

All six arrestees from the December 13th & 14th raids are granted bail totaling $51,000 with amounts per defendant ranging from $6,000 to $13,500. The were ordered to report to “pretrial services” within 48 hours, and to refrain from contact with codefendants and “Defend Atlanta Forest on social media.”


[1] SWAT Teams Attack Atlanta Forest Encampments, Activists Charged with ‘Terrorism’

December 28th, 2022

DeKalb County issues a ‘Stop Work Order’ to Ryan Millsap and Blackhall Real Estate Phase II, LLC because Millsap failed to acquire the necessary permit to legally remove trees.


[1] Blackhall Intensifies Destruction of Weelaunee People’s Park in Atlanta Forest

January 18th, 2023

Police shot dozens of rounds at and killed a forest defender who went by the name Tortuguita or ‘Tort’ as they were seated in their tent.


[1] Protester Shot and Killed by Officers During Raid on Atlanta Forest

[2] Justice For Tort

[3] Kite Line: A Police Murder In The Atlanta Forest

[4] Police Murder ‘Cop City’ Protestor In Atlanta Forest

January 19th - 23rd, 2023

Supporters mobilize at a Minneapolis office of Atlas Technical Consultants, a company contracted to help build Cop City.


Hundreds of protesters gathered in downtown Atlanta to remember Tortuguita. 300-400 people marched, smashed windows at a Wells Fargo bank (a major funder of Cop City), and set a police cruiser on fire. At least five people were arrested.


Vigils, rallies, and actions all over North America convene to respond to the police killing of Tort.


A crowd of masked people show solidarity from Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territory (so-called Vancouver, Canada).


Philly vigil and stroll for Tortuguita held at a turtle sculpture in Clark Park.


At a Seattle vigil, police arrest several mourners.


[1] Mobilization Against ‘Cop City’ Hits Offices Of Atlas Technical Consultants In Minnesota

[2] Bank Backing ‘Cop City’ Targeted As Hundreds Take To Streets Of Atlanta Following Police Killing

[3] Marches and Vigils Across the US Respond to the Police Killing of Forest Defender Tort

[4] Rallies In Solidarity With Fight To Stop ‘Cop City’ Spread After Police Murder Forest Defender

[5] Actions And Rallies In Solidarity With Fight Against ‘Cop City’ Grows Over Weekend

[6] Report Back From March In Vancouver, BC In Solidarity With Tortuguita And Fight To ‘Stop Cop City’

[7] Vigil and Stroll for Tortuguita

[8] Seattle, WA: Mourners Arrested At Vigil For Tort

January 24th, 2023

A crowd marches through the offices of Cushman & Wakefield in Milwaukee, Oregon, chanting “Stop Cop City” and distributing flyers. A Cushman & Wakefield’s executive, John O’Neill III, sits on the board for the Atlanta Police Foundation.


[1] Daniel V. Media Tweet

[2] ‘Stop Cop City’ Protesters March On Office Of Cushman & Wakefield In Milwaukie, OR

January 31st, 2023

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced that the City of Atlanta and DeKalb County have reached an agreement regarding permitting issues that had previously slowed their plans.


[1] City of Atlanta and DeKalb County Announce ‘Agreement’ Amid Growing Opposition to Cop City

February 8th, 2023

The Atlanta Police Department released body camera footage captured during the multi-jurisdictional raid in the South River Forest that resulted in police killing of Tort.


[1] Atlanta PD Releases Bodycam Footage from Deadly Jan. 18 Forest Raid

February 18th, 2023

Protesters demonstrate outside the DC homes of Georgia senators Warnock and Ossoff.


[1] Cop City Protesters Rally Outside Homes Of Georgia Senators In DC

February 19th - 26th, 2023

Cities across the country take part in a week of action against Cop City.


[1] Cities Across The US Take Part In ‘Week Of Action’ Against Cop City

[2] Protesters Rally Against Cop City Outside Of Brasfield & Gorrie Office In Miami, FL

February 24th, 2023

Cop City opponents in Philadelphia rally at City Hall then marched to the offices of AXA, an insurance corporation targeted for providing liability coverage to Brasfield Gorrie, a general contractor hired by the Atlanta Police Foundation.


[1] Supporters of ‘Cop City’ Opponents Rally in Philly

[2] Report Back Philadelphia Demonstration Outside Of Law Firm Supporting Cop City

March 4th, 2023

Stop Cop City week of action commenced by Atlanta-area forest defenders, community activists and their allies from around the country and the world.


[1] ‘Stop Cop City’ Week of Action Begins in Atlanta

March 5th, 2023

At least 30 people were arrested at a music festival in the South River Forest as police violently attack festival attendees and threaten to shoot them. Twenty-three of the arrestees were charged with domestic terrorism. A large direct action at a police security outpost takes place the same day.


In observance of the Stop Cop City Week of Action, an unaffiliated group of forest friends rally outside of an Atlas office in Avon, Massachusetts.


[1] Police Raid Atlanta Forest After ‘Cop City’ Opponents Overrun Security Post

[2] The Show Must Go On: On Sunday’s Arrests At The South River Music Festival

[3] Report Back From Rally In Solidarity With Resistance To Cop City In Avon, MA

March 6th, 2023

A group of elders and a young person in support, held banners and handed out flyers while visiting the corporate offices of Brasfield & Gorrie, as well as five B&G worksites around Atlanta, to demand the company to Drop Cop City.


[1] Atlanta, GA: Elders Say Stop Cop City!

2023 03 07

In solidarity with Defend the Atlanta Forest, WDS-NYC calls for Banyan Street Capital, the real estate firm that owns 191 Peachtree Towers, to end their lease agreement with the Atlanta Police Foundation. Demonstrators erected tents, give speeches, handed out flyers, and held a banner.


[1] Temporary Occupation In NYC Calls For Divestment From ‘Cop City’ In Atlanta, GA

March 8th, 2023

Community members and supporters held a noise demo outside the DeKalb County Jail to protest the incarceration of music festival attendees.

[1] Report Back From Noise Demo In Support Of Those Facing ‘Domestic Terrorism’ Charges In Atlanta, GA

March 10th - 13th, 2023

Forest defenders held the Weelaunee Food Autonomy Festival following a week of action. Hundreds of people from around the continent camp out in the Weelaunee Forest to engage in workshops, discussions, and skillshares on food production and distribution outside of and against the state.


[1] “We Are Not In The Least Afraid Of Ruins”: Food Autonomy In The Weelaunee Forest

April 21st - 23rd, 2023

Cities around the country held demonstrations, fundraisers, concerts, and other solidarity events to mark Tortuguita’s birthday.


[1] Cities Across The US Are Mobilizing To Honor Tortuguita’s Birthday And Stop Cop City

April 28th, 2023

Three people arrested in Bartow County, Georgia and given felony charge of “Intimidate Law Enforcement officer/family in retaliation to discharge of duties by force” for allegedly providing the public with information about the officers who killed Tortuguita at the neighborhood where one of the officers lives.


[1] Three Face Felonies for Allegedly Flyering Near Home of One Georgia Trooper Tied to Killing of Forest Defender

May 4th, 2023

Judges in Fulton and DeKalb Counties upheld domestic terrorism charges against individuals arrested at a January 21st protest and March 5th music festival.


[1] Judges Uphold Domestic Terrorism Charges Against Stop Cop City Activists

May 15th, 2023

Hundreds of Atlantans spoke out for hours at a city council meeting against the proposed authorization of $33.5 million taxpayer dollars for the construction of Cop City.


[1] ‘We Do Not Need a School for Assassins’: Hours of Public Comment Unanimously Against ‘Cop City’

[2] Storming In: Struggle In Atlanta Against Cop City Continues Despite Repression

May 31st, 2023

Three members of the Atlanta Solidarity Fund were arrested during a raid by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Atlanta Police Department and charged with money laundering and charity fraud.


[1] Three Atlanta Activists Arrested, Home Raided Over Bail Fund

[2] Atlanta Police And Georgia Bureau Of Investigation Raid Atlanta Solidarity Fund, Arrest Three Organizers

[3] Kite Line: Raid On The The Atlanta Solidarity Fund

June 6th, 2023

Despite hundreds of speakers who voiced their opposition to funding ‘Cop City’ over a 14-hour public comment period, Atlanta City Council approved $67 million in funding.


[1] Atlanta City Council Approves $67 Million in Public Funds for ‘Cop City’

June 8th, 2023

A national day of action convenes against Nationwide Insurance, Brasfield and Gorrie, the general contractor of the Cop City project, and Cadence Bank, a major lender to the project.


[1] ‘Cop City’ Protesters Visit Nationwide Insurance

June 24th - July 1st, 2023

Another Stop Cop City week of action commenced by Atlanta-area forest defenders, community activists and their allies from around the country and the world.


Protesters in Columbus, Ohio storm the headquarters of Nationwide, which insures Cop City projects.


[1] ‘Stop Cop City’ Week of Action Begins: Day 1

[2] Notes From The Atlanta Forest: Day One Of The Week Of Action

[3] Report From Day Two Of The Defend The Atlanta Forest Week Of Action

[4] Report From Day Three And Four Of The Defend The Atlanta Forest Week Of Action

[5] Report From Day Five And Six Of The Defend The Atlanta Forest Week Of Action

[6] Protestors Target Nationwide Insurance Over Their Connections To Atlanta’s “Cop City” Project

Vive vive Tortuguita!

Tortuguita or Tort was a 26-year-old forest defender who was shot 57 times and murdered by Georgia State Patrol while sitting in their tent on January 18, 2023. They were indigenous Venezuelan of Tomoto-Cuica descent, queer, non-binary and always the biggest light in any room they entered. They spent their time between Atlanta, defending the forest from destruction and coordinating mutual aid for the movement, and Florida where they helped build housing in low-income communities hit hardest by the most recent hurricane. They were a trained medic, a loving partner, a dear friend, a brave soul and so much more.

In the words of a fellow forest defender:

Tort was a radiant, joyful, beloved community member. They fought tirelessly to honor and protect the sacred land of the Weelaunee Forest. They took great joy in caring for each and every person that they came across. Tortuguita brought an indescribable jubilance to each and every moment of their life. Their passing is a preventable tragedy. The murder of Tortuguita is a gross violation of both humanity and of this precious Earth, which they loved so fiercely.

In Tort’s name we continue the struggle to #StopCopCity.

Areas of Work

Black Survivalists Network: As part of our self-defense work we are currently developing a Black survivalist network to train members of our nation to survive natural disasters and other threats to our safety and well-being.

MXGM Philly is part of the Black Philly Radical Collective, a collective of Black organizations and individuals committed to ending the war against Black Philadelphians by organizing to permanently and holistically eliminate the structures of policing and related state violence endangering the Black Community.


The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement is an organization of Afrikans in America/New Afrikans whose mission is to defend the human rights of our people and promote self-determination in our community. We understand that the collective institutions of white-supremacy, patriarchy and capitalism have been at the root of our people’s oppression. We understand that without community control and without the power to determine our own lives, we will continue to fall victim to genocide. Therefore, we seek to heighten our consciousness about self-determination as a human right and a solution to our colonization. While organizing around our principles of unity, we are building a network of Black/New Afrikan activists and organizers committed to the protracted struggle for the liberation of the New Afrikan Nation – By Any Means Necessary!

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