On Friday January 20, vigils were held around the world for Tortuguita, an Atlanta Forest Defender who was killed by police as they raided the No Cop City defense encampment in the Atlanta Forest.
On Saturday, protestors in Altanta went on the offense, throwing rocks and lit fireworks at a skyscraper that houses the Atlanta Police Foundation, shattering large glass windows. They then lit a police cruiser on fire, smashed more windows and left walls painted with anti-police graffiti.
Tortuguita was a radiant, joyful, beloved community member. They fought tirelessly to honor and protect the sacred land of the Weelaunee Forest. They took great joy in caring for each and every person that they came across. Tortuguita brought an indescribable jubilance to each and every moment of their life. Their passing is a preventable tragedy. The murder of Tortuguita is a gross violation of both humanity and of this precious Earth, which they loved so fiercely.
Tortuguita was participating in the active defense of the Atlanta Forest from being transformed into Cop City, an idea that came after the 2020 uprisings, by the city of Atlanta, the Atlanta Police Department and the Atlanta Police Foundation. The idea is that they want to develop a militarized police base that’s right next to a Black and Brown working-class community. And by building this base, they want to cut down over a hundred acres of forest. They want to develop an area where there is room for explosives testing, over 12 firing ranges, a place where there’s a Black Hawk helicopter landing pad, a training center for them to practice crowd control. We should also mention that they are engaged in international training with the Israeli police. This project really is the beginning of a militarized police base in Atlanta, which will be the largest facility of its kind in the country.