The Atlanta Solidarity Fund (ASF) pays bail and provides legal support for left-wing activists in and around Atlanta. ASF has supported protesters charged with domestic terrorism for their roles in allegedly violent protests against “Cop City,” a planned police-training facility in Atlanta.
ASF is fiscally sponsored by the Network for Strong Communities. 1
Activities
In April 2018, Atlanta Solidarity Fund provided legal support to numerous “anti-fascists” arrested while protesting a neo-Nazi rally in Newnan, Georgia. In March 2021, ASF helped one of the protesters get a $35,000 settlement from the police for wrongful arrest. 2
During the 2020 protests after the death of George Floyd, ASF provided legal support to protestors arrested in Atlanta. 3
In 2021, ASF gave so-called anti-repression grants to the Community Movement Builders, the Kilombo Academic and Cultural Institute, the Solutions Not Punishment Coalition, Gangstas to Growers, Southern Fried Queer Pride, Atlanta Radical Art, Mariposas Rebeldes, the Trans Housing Coalition, Twice as Good, Community Estrella, Radio Free Georgia, and the Chinquapin Land Project. 4
In 2021, numerous left-wing groups began protesting the construction of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, a police-training facility nicknamed “Cop City.” Opposition groups included Stop Cop City, which claimed that the facility would further militarize the police and encourage violence against racial minorities. Other protest groups, including Defend the Atlanta Forest, protested the facility’s construction on 300 acres of forest. 5
The protest tactics and city response escalated throughout 2021 and 2022. Protesters staged demonstrations and occupied sections of the forest. The police alleged that protestors engaged in acts of sabotage and vandalism against construction contractors. In December 2022, a joint local, state, and federal task force raided an “encampment” of protestors obstructing construction, and after being pelted by rocks and bottles from treehouses, arrested five protesters who would be charged with domestic terrorism. 6 7 8 The Movement for Black Lives coordinated legal support for arrested protesters. 9
In January 2023, Georgia state troopers shot and killed protester Manuel Esteban Paez Teran during another raid, further enflaming opposition. As of March 2023, the George Bureau of Investigations is investigating the shooting. 10
Authorities alleged that on March 5, attendees of the South River Music Festival approached a major construction site and began lobbing rocks, bricks, “commercial-grade fireworks,” 11 and Molotov cocktails at construction vehicles, destroying many. Out of about 150 protesters, 12 35 were arrested and 23 were charged with domestic terrorism. The arrestees included Tom Jurgens, an attorney at the Southern Poverty Law Center who attended the event as an observer for the far-left National Lawyers Guild. 13 Of the 23 charged with domestic terrorism, 21 were not from Georgia and two were foreign nationals. ASF accused the authorities of “indiscriminate police violence” and “lashing out at anyone present at the music festival” as a “strategy of extreme collective punishment.” 14 15 16 17
Immediately after the arrests, ASF announced it had already coordinated “a network of lawyers” and was asking for donations to provide legal support for the charged protesters. The group stated on Twitter: “Solidarity means nobody faces repression alone!” 18
Since the arrests, ASF has shared descriptions and the jail mailing addresses of arrested protestors to raise funds. For instance, “Luke” is described as “a singer & songwriter with a glowing spirit.” 19
Controversies
ASF Organizers Arrested for Money Laundering and Charity Fraud
In May 2023, 3 ASF organizers were arrested by local police during a raid on an Atlanta household. All three activists were charged with money laundering and charity fraud in connection with ASF efforts to bail out activists protesting the construction of the Atlanta law enforcement training complex dubbed “Cop City.” According to arrest warrants, the three are accused of, “misleading donors by spending money to support Defend the Atlanta Forest,” 20 a local activist group whose members have been accused of violent protest tactics against law enforcement including throwing rocks, Molotov cocktails, and fireworks at local police. In addition, the warrants show that one of the activists arrested, Marlon Kautz, had Network Strong Communities (NSC), the fiscal sponsor for ASF, as his registered charity and that all three had received reimbursements from NSC for purchases including communications equipment, camping supplies, and a safe bought from Amazon. 21 On the day of the arrests, Atlanta Solidary Fund posted a thread on its twitter page stating, ” This morning, three SolFund organizers were arrested in an attempt to cut off protestors from legal aid. We remain unafraid and stand strong in fighting to protect civil liberties. Donate to the National Bail Fund Network to help us back on our feet.” 22 In an interview with left-of-center media organization Democracy Now!, Atlanta organizer Kamua Franklin commented that the raid, “has nothing to do with any criminality, which has never taken place with the Atlanta Solidarity Fund, but…another way of destroying and attacking the infrastructure of organizing a movement, particularly against those who have been organizing against Cop City.” 23 24
Funding
Atlanta Solidarity Fund is a project of the Network for Strong Communities. It receives donations for ASF through the Action Network or by cryptocurrency donations, including Monero, a cryptocurrency based on anonymous, untraceable transactions. 25
Leadership
Atlanta Solidarity Fund does not list any personnel on its website. Marlon Kautz is sometimes listed as a spokesman in press releases. 26 Kautz is a member of Copwatch, a left-wing police-watchdog group, 27 and runs Teardown Community, another anti-police group. 28
References
- “Donation Info.” Atlanta Solidarity Fund. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://atlsolidarity.org/updates/donation-info/.
- “Second Victory Against Newnan Police for Abusing Protestors.” Atlanta Solidarity Fund. February 1, 2022. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://atlsolidarity.org/second-victory-against-newnan-police-for-abusing-protestors/.
- “Atlanta Solidarity Fund provides bail funds, other resources to arrested protesters.” Fox 5 Atlanta. June 12, 2020. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/atlanta-solidarity-fund-provides-bail-funds-other-resources-to-arrested-protesters.
- “Our 21 Anti-Repression Grants.” Atlanta Solidarity Movement. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://atlsolidarity.org/our-2021-anti-repression-grants/.
- Alfonseca, Kiara. “What is Atlanta’s ‘Cop City’ and why are people protesting it?” ABC News. March 6, 2023. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://abcnews.go.com/US/atlantas-cop-city-people-protesting/story?id=96716095.
- Wheatley, Thomas. “”Cop City” activists charged with domestic terrorism.” Axios. December 15, 2022. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2022/12/15/atlanta-cop-city-occupation-activists-charged-with-domestic-terrorism.
- Tabachnick, Cara. “What we know about Atlanta’s ‘Cop City’ and the standoff between police and protesters.” CBS News. March 6, 2023. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/atlanta-protests-cop-city-georgia-state-of-emergency-forest-defenders/.
- Alfonseca, Kiara. “What is Atlanta’s ‘Cop City’ and why are people protesting it?” ABC News. March 6, 2023. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://abcnews.go.com/US/atlantas-cop-city-people-protesting/story?id=96716095.
- Chasmar, Jessica. “Atlanta bail fund rushes to support arrested ‘Cop City’ activists after 23 charged with domestic terrorism.” Fox News. March 6, 2023. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/atlanta-bail-fund-rushes-support-arrested-cop-city-activists-23-charged-domestic-terrorism.
- Tabachnick, Cara. “What we know about Atlanta’s ‘Cop City’ and the standoff between police and protesters.” CBS News. March 6, 2023. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/atlanta-protests-cop-city-georgia-state-of-emergency-forest-defenders/.
- Chasmar, Jessica. “Atlanta bail fund rushes to support arrested ‘Cop City’ activists after 23 charged with domestic terrorism.” Fox News. March 6, 2023. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/atlanta-bail-fund-rushes-support-arrested-cop-city-activists-23-charged-domestic-terrorism.
- Arnold, Joshua. “Attorney’s Arrest Highlights SPLC’s Ties to Radical Left.” Washington Stand. March 10, 2023. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://washingtonstand.com/commentary/attorneys-arrest-highlights-splcs-ties-to-radical-left.
- Richardson, Valarie. “Judge denies bail to all suspects in ‘Cop City’ attack – except Southern Poverty Law Center lawyer.” Washington Times. March 7, 2023. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/mar/7/thomas-webb-jurgens-southern-poverty-law-center-la/.
- Chasmar, Jessica. “Atlanta bail fund rushes to support arrested ‘Cop City’ activists after 23 charged with domestic terrorism.” Fox News. March 6, 2023. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/atlanta-bail-fund-rushes-support-arrested-cop-city-activists-23-charged-domestic-terrorism.
- Splenda, Tom and Matza, Max. “Atlanta ‘Cop City’: Terror charges filed against 23 protesters.” BBC. March 7, 2023. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64842272.
- “SPLC Attorney Among 23 Antifa Charged Over Violent Atlanta Cop City Protests.” NY Breaking. March 6, 2023. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://nybreaking.com/splc-attorney-among-23-antifa-charged-over-violent-atlanta-cop-city-protests/.
- Maitra, Aurko. “Who is Thomas Jurgens? SPLC Lawyer involved in Atlanta Cop City Attack.” SK Pop. March 7, 2023. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/news-who-thomas-jurgens-splc-lawyer-involved-atlanta-cop-city-attack.
- Chasmar, Jessica. “Atlanta bail fund rushes to support arrested ‘Cop City’ activists after 23 charged with domestic terrorism.” Fox News. March 6, 2023. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/atlanta-bail-fund-rushes-support-arrested-cop-city-activists-23-charged-domestic-terrorism.
- “Atlanta Solidarity Fund.” Twitter. March 10, 2023. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://twitter.com/ATLSolFund/status/1634237092455694345?cxt=HHwWkoC26cP-_K0tAAAA.
- Rojas, Rick and Sean Keenan. “Georgia Officials Target Bail Fund in Crackdown on ‘Cop City’ Protests.” New York Times, June 2, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/02/us/cop-city-atlanta-protests.html?searchResultPosition=4
- Rojas, Rick and Sean Keenan. “Georgia Officials Target Bail Fund in Crackdown on ‘Cop City’ Protests.” New York Times, June 2, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/02/us/cop-city-atlanta-protests.html?searchResultPosition=4
- Atlanta Solidarity Fund (@ATLSolFund). ” This morning, three SolFund organizers were arrested in an attempt to cut off protestors from legal aid. We remain unafraid and stand strong in fighting to protect civil liberties. Donate to the National Bail Fund Network to help us back on our feet:” Twitter, May 31, 2023. https://twitter.com/ATLSolFund/status/1664110983428681728
- “Armed Police Raid on Bail Fund for Cop City Opponents Is Attack on “Infrastructure of the Movement.” Democracy Now!, June 2, 2023. https://www.democracynow.org/2023/6/2/atlanta_cop_city_bail_fund_arrests
- Rojas, Rick and Sean Keenan. “Georgia Officials Target Bail Fund in Crackdown on ‘Cop City’ Protests.” New York Times, June 2, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/02/us/cop-city-atlanta-protests.html?searchResultPosition=4
- “Donation Info.” Atlanta Solidarity Fund. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://atlsolidarity.org/updates/donation-info/.
- “Statement on Possible Rico Charges Against Stop Cop City Activists.” Atlanta Solidarity Fund. February 27, 2023. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://atlsolidarity.org/statement-on-possible-rico-charges-against-stop-cop-city-activists/.
- “APD Settles Lawsuit Over Cops Stealing Activist’s Camera, Trying to Destroy Footage of Drug Raid.” Copwatch of East Atlanta. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://www.copwatchoea.org/apd-settles-lawsuit-over-cops-stealing-activists-camera-trying-destroy-footage-drug-raid.
- “Atlanta’s ‘Teardown House’ Opposes Gentrification.” Builder Online. January 21, 2020. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://www.builderonline.com/land/atlantas-teardown-house-opposes-gentrification_c.