Hands Off the Forest Defenders! Stop Cop City!
The state of Georgia has filed RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) charges against 61 forest defenders for their role in protesting and obstructing the construction of a massive police training facility known as Cop City in a forested area outside Atlanta. This act of repression is an attempt to snuff out the most vibrant remnant of the George Floyd rebellion that began in 2020, and set a legal precedent for prosecuting activists on ideological grounds. In order to free our comrades – and prevent further attacks by the state – it must be opposed by all corners of the left and social movements.
The state has already resorted to extreme violence to put an end to the movement to stop Cop City. On January 18th, Tortuguita, an environmental and anti-cop activist, was murdered by police. The police claimed that they fired in self-defense, but autopsy and body cam evidence showed that they were lying. Tortuguita had 57 bullet wounds, including matching wounds through both hands and their head, showing that the cops had murdered them execution style. Additionally, police can be heard on bodycam footage saying that they were shot by friendly fire, not by Tortuguita or any other forest defender. Since the police assassination of Tortuguita, the police and Atlanta’s Democratic Party establishment have gone into overdrive to demonize protestors as “domestic terrorists”, while doing everything they can to obstruct efforts to stop construction of Cop City at the ballot box.
On one hand, the RICO charges are simply a continuation of this pattern of repression. On the other, they represent yet another alarming escalation by the state–an attempt to criminalize not only those engaging in civil disobedience and direct action, but an entire movement and ideology. The indictment alleges that all of the accused are members of “Defend the Atlanta Forest,” despite the fact that no such organization exists. They justify this allegation on the basis that activists opposed to Cop City supposedly share dangerous anarchist ideals, including “collectivism,” “social solidarity,” and “mutual aid.” The indictment argues on this basis that activists involved in distributing literature, raising bail money, or writing letters to the imprisoned, should be considered part of a criminal anarchist conspiracy.
This attack on the brave comrades in Georgia is an attack on all of us. It is essential that the state is not successful in cowing this movement, because if it is, they will learn that repression works, and more will follow. To support those who have been arrested, you can contribute to the Atlanta Solidarity Fund–but legal defense is not sufficient. All of us must learn from the example of the forest defenders, and build our organizations so that we can defend one another when the state comes for us.
