Logo for InfluenceWatch InfluenceWatch

Donate
Other Group

Stop Cop City

Website:

stopcop.city
Location:

Atlanta, GA
Type:

Climate Activist Group
Formation:

2021
Project of:

Grassroots Global Justice Alliance

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

Stop Cop City is a radical-left activist group that opposes the construction of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center in the Weelaunee Forest outside Atlanta, Georgia. Fiscally sponsored by Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, the group has engaged in several protests in opposition to the facility’s construction, some of which have turned violent. 1 2 3 4 Several out-of-state protest groups have been created that are similar to the Atlanta-based Stop Cop City movement. 5

The Stop Cop City protest movement has also aligned itself with anti-Israeli protesters, arguing that the anti-police movement is linked to the “Palestinian liberation” movement against Israel. 6

In January 2023, a protest organized by Stop Cop City and activist group Forest Defenders resulted in police shooting and killing protester Manuel “Tortuguita” Paez Teran. 7 There have been several legal challenges to Stop Cop City protests, including criminal charges against protesters as well as money laundering and racketeering charges against bail funds created to pay for protest-related legal fees and bail payments. 8 9

Background

Stop Cop City was created in response to construction plans in the Weelaunee Forest for the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, a police training facility which protesters have  referred to as “Cop City.” 10 In response to the proposal, a number of left-of-center climate activist groups have organized protests within the Weelaunee Forest and in different locations across the state. Including Stop Cop City, other notable groups have included Defend the Atlanta Forest and Forest Defenders. 3 Stop Cop City has engaged in several protests relating to the project, which has led to numerous arrests and criminal indictments, many of which are pending as of January 2025. 2

Activism

January 2023 Police Shooting

In January 2023, members of the Georgia State Police department attempted to clear a group of anti-Cop City protesters which included Stop Cop City and Forest Defenders members. One protester, Manuel “Tortuguita” Paez Teran refused to leave his tent, and when officers used smoke pellets to clear him from his tent he fired shots at the officers, striking one officer under his bulletproof vest in the hip and groin area. Police returned fire, killing Paez Teran. 7

In response to Paez Teran’s death, several organizations including the National Lawyers Guild and Defend the Atlanta Forest denounced the shooting as state-sanctioned murder while further calling for an end to the construction project. Although Paez Teran’s family sued the Georgia State Police department, all six officers involved in the incident were cleared of wrongdoing by a special investigator and no charges were filed. 7

The shooting sparked several protests, including one after which activists were arrested and charged with domestic terrorism for their participation in the protests and occupation. 11 12 In March 2023, more than 150 masked activists left a nearby music festival and stormed the proposed site of the training center, setting fire to construction equipment and throwing rocks at law enforcement officers. Police arrested 35 activists, many of whom were charged with domestic terrorism for their alleged involvement. 13 2

Anti-Israel Activism

Protesters affiliated with Stop Cop City have also taken part in anti-Israel protests and demonstrations. By November 2024, at least one Stop Cop City protest included protesters with signs that read “End Genocide in Gaza,” “Cut Ties with Israel,” and “Stop Police Brutality.” Other signs included “Killer Cops,” and “KKK, Zionists — all the same.” 6

Stop Cop City protests have occurred on college campuses, including one protest at Emory University at which a protester read a statement claiming that being anti-Israel and anti-Cop City “are both frontiers in the same struggle against the mechanisms of state-sanctioned violence and oppression.” 6

Legal Challenges

Alleged GSU Vandalism

On July 29, 2022, protesters entered a Georgia State University (GSU) sports arena that was under construction at the time and, according to an incident report filed by the GSU Police Department (GSUPD), “damage[d] a few of the walls and some signage” while shouting “Stop Cop City” and “Stop Brasfield [&] Gorrie,” a general contracting firm responsible for the construction of both the arena and the police training facility. Seven people were arrested and charged with several felonies, including burglary, criminal damage to property, and willful obstruction of law enforcement officers. 8

On October 24, 2024, prosecutors dropped charges against two of the protesters and entered the other five into pre-trial diversion programs. One the same day, bail fund Atlanta Solidarity Fund released bodycam video allegedly showing Atlanta Police Department officers admitting that the felony charges were a reach. One officer in the video can be heard stating, “anything we can…anything, guys. Anything we can get will help us out tremendously with this group. I know it’s a reach.” Following the video’s release and only several days before pretrial proceedings, all charges against the Stop Cop City protesters were dropped. 8

Alleged Money Laundering

The Atlanta Solidarity Fund (ASF) is a Network for Strong Communities-sponsored bail fund used to support arrested Stop Cop City protesters and other Forest Defenders prosecuted for their protests. 3 In May 2023, ASF executives Marlon Scott Kautz and Adele Maclean were arrested for money laundering and charity fraud for their support of other criminal acts committed at the police training center’s build site and other metro Atlanta locations. 2 14

A state racketeering indictment alleged that the Forest Justice Defense Fund (FJDF), another Stop Cop City-related bail fund, was a fraudulent charity paying for ammunition purchases connected to a criminal conspiracy related to the Stop Cop City and Forest Defenders. 3 ASF and FJDF organizers that bailed out the “cop city” protesters have since sought the dismissal of the RICO case. Prosecutors alleged that over $230,000 of donations intended for ASF were distributed to the Forest Justice Defense Fund in violation of donor intent. 15

The case has expanded to include the prosecution of 61 individuals caught up in the racketeering scandal. Although the case has not been dismissed as of January 2025, Fulton County Judge Kimberly Esmond Adams said the Georgia Attorney General’s Office committed “gross negligence” by allowing privileged attorney-client emails to be included among a giant cache of evidence that was distributed months ago to investigators and dozens of other defense lawyers. 16 In September 2024, the Georgia Attorney General’s Office dropped money laundering charges from the case, although the 61 individuals remain under indictment for racketeering. The case remains ongoing as of January 2025. 9

Grassroots Global Justice Alliance

Stop Cop City is fiscally sponsored by Grassroots Global Justice Alliance (GGJA), a network of over 60 organizations advocating left-of-center policies regarding environmental activism, anti-racism, LGBT interests, and anti-Israel activism. 17 The Alliance’s sister organizations include the Climate Justice Alliance and Grassroots Global Justice. 18 19 These organizations act as tax-exempt, fundraising arms of the Alliance. 3

Nationwide Stop Cop City Efforts

In response to the Atlanta-based Stop Cop City movement, several protest movements have been organized in other parts of the country. They include a campaign against the construction of a local police training center in Richmond, California as well as efforts based in Dallas, Texas; Baltimore, Maryland; and Chicago, Illinois. The organizations and supporting activist groups have called for defunding the police, divesting corporate funds to police stations, and other left-of-center positions. 5

Leadership

Although Stop Cop City does not publish information about its leadership on its website, Gabriel Sanchez has been highlighted by local Atlanta media outlets as one of the group’s leading organizers. Sanchez is a local waiter who, in opposition to the construction of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, ran for state representative for Cobb County, Georgia. Sanchez defeated his opponent in the primary election and was elected to the seat in the general election on November 5, 2024. 20 21

Sanchez has previously claimed that the violence and protests surrounding Stop Cop City are exaggerated by the media. 20

Finances

As a fiscally sponsored project of Grassroots Global Justice Alliance (GGJA), Stop Cop City does not report its financial information through an independent tax return. In 2023, GGJA reported $4,330,896 in revenue, $5,878,335 in expenses, and $7,937,659 in total assets for its full operations. 22

References

  1. “What is cop city?” Stop Cop City. Accessed January 12, 2025.  https://stopcop.city/what-is-cop-city/
  2. Alcorn, Chauncey. “Key Dates and Moments in Atlanta’s ‘Cop City’ Controversy.” Capital B News. June 5, 2023. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://atlanta.capitalbnews.org/cop-city-timeline/
  3. MacDougald, Park. “The People Setting America on Fire.” Tablet Magazine. May 6, 2024. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/people-setting-america-on-fire-soros-tides-wespac
  4. “demilitaRISE.” Grassroots Global Justice Alliance. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://ggjalliance.org/our-work/demilitarise/
  5. Valenzuela, Victoria.  “Cop Cities Meet Growing Resistance Nationwide.” Yes! October 4, 2024. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.yesmagazine.org/social-justice/2024/10/04/atlanta-police-cop-city-resistance
  6. Ridderbusch, Katja. “Atlanta Jews on high alert as anti-Israel group Stop Cop City goes national.” Times of Israel. November 4, 2024. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.timesofisrael.com/as-anti-gaza-anti-police-group-stop-cop-city-goes-national-atlanta-jews-go-on-high-alert/
  7. Proctor, Angelique. “No charges for Georgia State troopers who killed activist at Atlanta Public Safety Training Center site.” FOX 5 Atlanta. October 6, 2023. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/no-charges-troopers-manuel-esteban-teran-tortuguita-death-cop-city-atlanta
  8. Lancaster, Joe. “Body Cam Footage Shows Atlanta Cop Knew Felony Charges Against Cop City Protesters Were ‘a Reach.’” Reason. November 8, 2024. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://reason.com/2024/11/08/body-cam-footage-shows-atlanta-cop-knew-felony-charges-against-cop-city-protesters-were-a-reach/
  9. Lancaster, Joe. “Georgia A.G. Drops Frivolous Money Laundering Charges Against Cop City Bail Fund.” Reason. September 20, 2024. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://reason.com/2024/09/20/georgia-a-g-drops-frivolous-money-laundering-charges-against-cop-city-bail-fund/
  10.  Tabachnick, Cara. “What we know about Atlanta’s “Cop City” and the standoff between police and protesters.” CBS News. March 6, 2023. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/atlanta-protests-cop-city-georgia-state-of-emergency-forest-defenders/
  11. “NLG Statement in Solidarity with Atlanta Forest Defenders.” National Lawyers Guild. January 25, 2023. Accessed January 12, 2025.  https://www.nlg.org/nlg-statement-in-solidarity-with-atlanta-forest-defenders/
  12. Brown, Alleen. “Documents show how 19 ‘Cop City’ activists got charged with terrorism.” Grist. January 27, 2023. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://grist.org/protest/atlanta-cop-city-terrorism/
  13. “The family of a ‘Cop City’ protester who was killed releases more autopsy findings.” NPR. March 13, 2023. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.npr.org/2023/03/13/1163272958/cop-city-protester-autopsy-manuel-paez-teran
  14. Brumback, Kate. “Bond granted for 3 activists whose fund bailed out people protesting Atlanta ‘Cop City’ project.” AP News. June 2, 2023. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://apnews.com/article/police-training-center-arrests-cop-city-1468a138ed4b17ed394e4b1e4fe202fe
  15. “Organizers of fund that bailed out ‘Cop City’ protesters seek RICO case dismissal.” FOX 5 Atlanta. July 31, 2024. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/atlanta-solidarity-fund-organizer-rico-charge-cop-city-motion-hearing
  16. “Prosecutors committed ‘gross negligence’ in ‘Cop City’ protest fund case, judge says.” FOX 5 Atlanta. August 1, 2024. Accessed January 12, 2025.  https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/prosecutors-gross-negligence-cop-city-emails-bond-organizer
  17. About. Grassroots Global Justice Alliance. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://ggjalliance.org/about/
  18. Climate Justice Alliance. ProPublica. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/853440899
  19. GGJ at the United Nations’ Conference of Parties. Grassroots Global Justice Alliance. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://ggjalliance.org/programs/program-3/
  20. “’Stop Cop City’ leader wins state house nod in Cobb County.” 11Alive on YouTube. May 22, 2024. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrUDBbOfSWU
  21. “Gabriel Sanchez.” Ballotpedia. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://ballotpedia.org/Gabriel_Sanchez_(Georgia)
  22. “Grassroots Global Justice Alliance – 2023 Federal Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/264633127/202441299349302044/full
  See an error? Let us know!

Stop Cop City


Atlanta, GA