No Police Military Base in Weelaunee Forest
The Atlanta Cop City has leased 381-acres of Weelaunee Forest, stolen Muscogee land, to the Atlanta Police Foundation for a police military facility funded by corporations.
Cop City will never be built. #StopCopCity #DefendWeelaunee
What is Cop City?
Atlanta Police Foundation is trying to build the largest police training facility in the US in Weelaunee Forest, a watershed surrounded by primarily Black residents who overwhelmingly oppose the project.
The plans include military-grade training facilities, a mock city to practice urban warfare, dozens of shooting ranges, and a Black Hawk helicopter landing pad.
Why Is Cop City
Atlanta Controversial?
The Atlanta Public Safety Training Center (“Cop City”) is an 85-acre police and firefighter training facility in South River Forest, opened April 29, 2025, costing $115 million plus $36 million in public funds. It divides opinions on safety, environment, and equity. Here’s an brief overview:
1. Environmental Concerns 🍃
Critics decry deforestation of up to 300 acres in a vital urban forest, worsening air quality, flooding, and green space inequities in majority-Black areas (6.9 acres/1,000 Black residents vs. 25.6 for white). The site, once a prison farm, highlights historical injustices. Supporters note it’s Atlanta’s Cop City Overgrown land with eco-friendly designs like permeable paving.
2. Community Opposition 🤝
Local groups and activists oppose it as over-policing in low-income, Black neighborhoods, post-2020 protests, with opaque public input (70% against in 2021 hearings). Calls target corporate funders for social investments instead. Backers, including some residents, cite needs amid 2021’s 149 homicides.
3. Public Safety Arguments 🚨
Proponents say it modernizes training with simulations and ranges to cut injuries and boost response amid crime spikes and shortages. Studies favor community programs, per critics.
4. Protests and Legal Challenges ⚖️
Actions since 2021 include tree-sits and marches; 2023 shooting of protester Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán led to arrests and RICO charges (dismissed September 2025). A 116,000-signature referendum failed; terrorism labels dropped August 2025. Many protests peaceful, raising free speech issues.
