A controversial police training facility, known as “cop city”, has officially received funding from the Atlanta City Council, despite massive protests against the proposed facility.
The decision came down to an 11-4 vote in favor of funding the proposal just after 5 a.m. on Tuesday. This result is a win for Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens who has put the proposal at the forefront of his first term as mayor.
The project would cost around $90 million and would span some 85 acres. The facility would be located in Dekalb County and would include an “auditorium for police/fire and public use”, a “mock city for burn building training and urban police training”, and an “Emergency Vehicle Operator Course for emergency vehicle training”.
Many activists who protested the proposal were left disappointed by the decision. The “Stop Cop City” movement raised awareness of the police training facility and energized protesters across the country; including Paez Terán, a 26-year-old environmental activist known as “Tortuguita”. Terán was shot at least 57 times during a police confrontation over the facility.
For around 14 hours, residents showed up to the city council Monday night and early Tuesday morning to voice their concerns and disapproval of the project. Many voiced their concerns about further militarizing the police in a mostly African-American location.
Construction is expected to begin in late August and finish in December, 2024.
