John,

Did you know that there are 69 cop cities popping up all over the United States since 2020?¹ They call them "public safety training facilities," but let's call a spade a spade, right?

After all of the uprisings in 2020, there's been a major push to militarize the police even more and get them ready for any future mass protests.

What we’re looking at isn’t just an Atlanta Cop City problem. We’re looking at a Cop Nation Project.

And now our fight for democracy in Atlanta has reached a critical moment.

To fuel this crucial mission, we need your support. Your contribution today will go directly towards our efforts to challenge signature matching, fight for fair representation, and secure a place for the Cop City referendum on the ballot so that we can once and for all let the people decide.

Donate to join the fight

The right to petition our government is a cornerstone of our democratic principles, allowing citizens to voice their concerns and influence public policy. So, when the City of Atlanta delays and obstructs the processing of 116,000 signatures demanding a referendum, democracy is undermined along with the will of the people. Ensuring that every citizen’s voice is heard and that their concerns are addressed is not just a matter of civic duty but a fundamental right that we need to safeguard. See, this is more than a referendum; it's about the core of our democratic values and holding our elected officials accountable.

In February, the Atlanta City Council finally voted to codify a process by which they can verify the signatures we collected last summer. And after many passionate appeals from activists like myself within the chambers, the motion to remove signature match from the bill failed. And with it, the establishment of a transparent and fair process for referendums, including the Cop City referendum. The final vote with only four members of the council in opposition to this anti-democratic ordinance is a stark reminder of the lawmakers who turned their backs on their constituents.

But here's the silver lining: our chance for change is on the horizon. For nearly six months, the City of Atlanta has neglected its duty to process the 116,000 signatures we collected last summer urging a referendum on Cop City. Despite the city charter's mandate, the council has hidden behind legal excuses, denying Atlantans their First Amendment right to petition the government.

What we need now is for Mayor Andre Dickens to drop the lawsuit that is holding up the verification process and begin verifying those 116,000 signatures immediately. After that, we hope to see a question about Cop City on the ballot for Atlantans to decide what to do with nearly $120 million of taxpayer money.

We will persist in our fight to put Cop City on the ballot, and once it’s there, we’re going to be ready to show up for our community once again to ensure that every Atlantans’ voice is heard. While the Atlanta City Council has failed in supporting voters, we, the people, have to show up and once again do the work to cure the signatures when the time inevitably comes.

Together, we can ensure that the voices of the people prevail over attempts to suppress our democratic rights. Stand with us as we confront this challenge head-on and pave the way for a future where justice and accountability reign.

Donate to join the fight

In solidarity,

Aimee Castenell
Working Families Power

Source:

1. Cop Cities, USA, Is Your Life Better?, February 17, 2024