Help COC demand that DA Sherry Boston drop the charges

John,

Update: During the past few months, law enforcement has charged more than 40 demonstrators with domestic terrorism for actively opposing “Cop City.”1

Now three other activists working to stop the construction of the $90 million police training facility have been charged with “felony intimidation of an officer of the state and misdemeanor stalking" for placing flyers on mailboxes in a residential neighborhood 40 miles north of Atlanta.2 This retaliation against and criminalizing of “Cop City” protesters — and attempt to abridge their First Amendment rights — is not unheard of.3

Now, dozens of people sit in jail awaiting trial on trumped-up charges. Separated from loved ones, they can’t work, provide for their families or see their children — all because they exercised their right to protest. 

That's why we need DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston to drop the charges. John, can we count on you to join the fight?

TELL DA SHERRY BOSTON TO DROP THE CHARGES

We all have watched the many protests opposing turning 85 acres of forestland in Southeast Atlanta into a massive police training facility. For almost two years, the Atlanta Police Foundation and its corporate donors have been plowing ahead despite countless area residents making it clear to the Atlanta City Council and to DeKalb County officials that “Cop City” will not make them safer. 

Since Jan. 18, when Georgia State Patrol troopers and Atlanta Police Department (APD) officers shot and killed environmental activist Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán during a raid of an encampment set up by protesters, the situation has been intense. Autopsy results showed that no evidence of gunshot residue was found on Terán’s hands, refuting claims by police that Terán had fired at officers.4 From that day forward, APD cops have been quick to arrest people. On the same day of Terán’s death, the APD went on a rampage, arresting and charging seven other protesters with domestic terrorism.5 The police didn’t stop there. Since December 2022, three sweeps by authorities have resulted in demonstrators being charged, arrested and detained.6 

This isn’t the first time public officials have retaliated against protesters. During the 2020 uprisings, we saw police officers file charges against hundreds of protesters for minuscule offenses in efforts to quash local demonstrations.7 DA Sherry Boston has remained silent as “Cop City” protesters have spent months behind bars. We need your help to ensure DA Boston can’t ignore this issue.

John, we must turn up the pressure on DA Sherry Boston. Join us as we call on her to drop the charges against everyone. The blatant disregard for constitutional rights and human life must end here.

STOP UNNECESSARY PROSECUTIONS

DA Sherry Boston has the power to drop the charges immediately. Every day her inaction directly impacts our communities and the families of those behind bars. District attorneys are some of the most influential actors in the criminal legal system. From deciding whether to charge someone with a misdemeanor or felony, to whether to request bail, no decisions fuel mass incarceration and the mass criminalization of Black communities more than the decisions of prosecutors. 

Let’s be clear: Constructing a massive police training facility would be an ecological disaster, exacerbate an already militarized police, put Black people in the greater Atlanta area in danger and continue criminalizing protesters for standing up against injustice. Now more than ever, we must be engaged as a community and ready to act. Will you join us, John?

We need to hold DA Sherry Boston accountable to the needs of our communities by demanding that everyone charged for protesting can walk free to return home and rejoin their loved ones. We must act NOW.Sign the petition

Until Justice Is Real, 

Color Of Change Policy & Government Affairs Team

References:

  1. Sanya Mansoor, “Atlanta Cop City Protesters Charged with Domestic Terorrism,” Time, May 4, 2023, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/395849?t=11&akid=56922%2E4731121%2EYKrnDu.

  2. Joe Lancaster, “‘cop City’ Protesters Arrested for Distributing Flyers,” Reason, May 3, 2023, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/395850?t=13&akid=56922%2E4731121%2EYKrnDu

  3. “Www.aclu.org,” ACLU (International Network of Civil Liberties Organizations ), accessed May 4, 2023, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/395844?t=15&akid=56922%2E4731121%2EYKrnDu  
  4. Natasha Lennard, “Police Shot Atlanta Cop City Protester 57 Times, Autopsy Finds,” The Intercept (The Intercept, April 20, 2023), https://act.colorofchange.org/go/395115?t=17&akid=56922%2E4731121%2EYKrnDu. 
  5. Jon Haworth et al., “7 Protesters Charged with Domestic Terrorism after Fatal Shooting Incident,” ABC News (ABC News Network, January 20, 2023), https://act.colorofchange.org/go/395116?t=19&akid=56922%2E4731121%2EYKrnDu.
  6. Victoria Arancio, Morgan Winsor, and Bill Hutchinson, “23 Protesters Charged with Domestic Terrorism after Fiery Clashes at Atlanta's 'Cop City' Training Center,” ABC News (ABC News Network, March 6, 2023), https://act.colorofchange.org/go/395114?t=21&akid=56922%2E4731121%2EYKrnDu.
  7. Sabrina Schnur, “Court Cases Dropped against Police Brutality Protesters in Las Vegas,” Journal (Las Vegas Review-Journal, June 4, 2021), https://act.colorofchange.org/go/395117?t=23&akid=56922%2E4731121%2EYKrnDu.