In this episode of Groundings, host Musa Springer is joined by Atlanta organizer Tunde Osazua as co-host; they sit down with local organizer and lawyer Kamau Franklin to discuss the ongoing struggle surrounding the development of Cop City in Atlanta. Kamau provides insightful analysis on the background and larger political context of Cop City, the response from organizers and residents, and what makes this specific movement so important.
We dive into Cop City origins, Kamau explains that the idea of the facility started prior to the 2020 uprisings, but after the uprisings, it was brought forth and rushed to the public. The name "Cop City" was coined by local organizers and residents who saw the development as a form of repression and response to the uprisings. We then look at the many organizing efforts against Cop City, and Kamau emphasizes that the community has been active in opposing the development and has formed various coalitions to mobilize against it.
This is the first time that 'domestic terrorism' charges have been used against protesters in this way, and it's also the first time an environmental activist, young Tortuguita, has been killed by polcie in the U.S. We talk about the incredibly damning legal and political implications of all this.
- Patreon.com/HalfAtlanta
- Community Movement Builders - Stop Cop City
- Intro audio by Big Twen
- #StopCopCity Week of Action
- 11Alive audio clip
- Andre Dickens doesn't like being called a "sellout"
- Atlanta Mayor Sleeping During Cop City Forum
- February 4th Statement from Tortuguita's Family
- On James Baldwin and the Atlanta Child Murders
- Pigs Have Higher Rates of Domestic Violence Than Other Professions