American History Tellers

Listen Now: We Came to the Forest

Jan 28, 2025

Vienna's delivery job sparks her involvement in the fight against a controversial police training facility in Atlanta. As she immerses herself in the South River Forest, she discovers a passionate community and unexpected love. However, a fateful morning forces her and fellow activists to reassess their convictions. Tension mounts as a joyful evening turns to chaos with police confrontation, and danger lurks in the forest, revealing the stark reality activists face. The intertwining of moments of joy and peril highlights the complexities of standing up for one’s beliefs.

06:03

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The conflict surrounding the Cop City protests highlights the deepening divide between environmental activists and law enforcement agencies, raising critical questions about activism and state responses.

Eyewitness accounts and discrepancies in law enforcement narratives emphasize the need for transparency and accountability in addressing tragic incidents involving community activism.

Deep dives

Conflict Between Activists and Authorities

A significant conflict erupted between environmental activists and law enforcement in an Atlanta forest, leading to tragic consequences. Activists were camping in the woods to protest the construction of a large police training facility, igniting tensions with local authorities. A joint task force, comprised of multiple law enforcement agencies, was deployed to disband the movement, fueled by fears of potential hazards such as booby traps. This confrontation resulted in a chaotic and deadly incident that left one activist deceased, prompting questions about the escalation and the narrative presented by authorities.

Intro

2min

An Evening of Joy Before the Storm

3min

Unexpected Danger in the Forest

2min

Vienna is working a delivery job when she hears about Cop City, a massive police training facility planned for Atlanta. She decides to join the activists trying to stop construction. When Vienna arrives in the South River Forest, she quickly finds a community, a cause and a love unlike any other. But the events of one morning shatters everything. Vienna and everyone connected to the forest begin to question what are you willing to die for? Wondery, Campside and Tenderfoot TV present: We Came to the Forest.

Listen to We Came to the Forest wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge the entire series early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts: Wondery.fm/WeCametotheForest

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