Atlanta City Council Approves $30 Million for Controversial “Cop City” Training Center Despite Outcry from Activists

The Atlanta City Council approved funding Tuesday for the construction of a proposed police and firefighter training center, despite the pleas of hundreds of activists who packed City Hall and spoke for hours in opposition to the project.

The $90-million, 85-acre facility, dubbed “Cop City” by opponents, would be used to train police, firefighters and emergency responders. The City Council agreed to allocate $30 million toward the project.

The “Stop Cop City” movement has gained traction in recent months, particularly after the January fatal police shooting of Manuel Paez Terán, a 26-year-old environmental activist known as “Tortuguita” who’d been camping in the woods near the site of the proposed project in DeKalb County.

For about 14 hours, hundreds of people testified against the project, citing concerns about the use of public funds and the potential for the facility to become a militarized police training center. Despite the opposition, the City Council voted 11-4 in favor of the project.

Mayor Andre Dickens, who has made the project a large part of his first term in office, praised the decision. “This is a great day for the City of Atlanta,” he said. “This project will create jobs, provide a much-needed training facility for our public safety personnel, and help us build a stronger, safer city.”

Opponents of the project have vowed to continue their fight, with activists marching through the Atlanta Forest, the site of the proposed training center, on March 4.