Ribbon cutting held for controversial public safety training center

View this post on Instagram A post shared by City Of Atlanta cityofatlantaga A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Tuesday April for the controversial Atlanta Masses Safety Training Center The opening of the million center on acres of city-owned property in unincorporated southern DeKalb County came after years of protests lawsuits arrests and the death of a protester Mayor Andre Dickens Gov Brian Kemp and other state and local leaders were on hand for the ceremony The property which is located between Constitution and Key roads in South River Forest includes square-foot academic building a square-foot leadership building for citizens use gymnasium driving curriculum mock village for police training a six-story burn building for firefighter training a shooting range and stables for the Atlanta Police Department s mounted patrols and kennels for its K- unit An aerial view of the Atlanta Residents Safety Training Center Courtesy City of Atlanta The Stop Cop City campaign submitted more than signed petitions to the City of Atlanta in to get a referendum on the ballot The signatures remain uncounted and unverified by the city as a lawsuit on hold for more than a year continues in the U S Court of Appeals According to a overview in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution the court questioned lawyers for the city and opponents of the facility to write briefs on whether a referendum issue is now moot since the center is now open Money laundering charges against three activists involved in providing legal backing and bail money for arrested Cop City protesters were dropped by the state last September The state continues to pursue racketeering domestic terrorism and arson charges against the indicted activists Atlanta Police and the GBI have tied Cop City activists to an ongoing series of arsons where construction equipment belonging to companies involved in the construction of the training center has been damaged or destroyed This is a emerging story Check back for updates The post Ribbon cutting held for controversial constituents safety training center appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta