Ping Pong Balls Thrown at Atlanta Council in Protest of Mayor, ‘Cop City’

Protesters took to the Atlanta City Council meeting, throwing ping pong balls at council members while chanting, “You dropped the ball.” This demonstration was aimed at opposing Mayor Andre Dickens and a controversial $90 million training center for law enforcement, often referred to as “Cop City.”

The protest was organized by the “Stop Cop City” coalition, which expressed a desire for their voices to be heard during the public meeting. Their goal is to halt the construction of the training facility and seek a referendum to allow voters to decide the project’s fate. The proposed center spans 85 acres, and the protesters are advocating for it to be placed on the ballot.

A social media post from the group emphasized that Mayor Dickens’ office has the option to abandon its legal appeal, or the City Council could choose to place the matter on the ballot themselves. “We need to make clear that we won’t stand by as they subvert democracy right before our eyes,” the post stated.

The ping pong balls featured the number 116,000, corresponding to the signatures the group has collected in support of their referendum demands. These signatures exceed the amount needed by city authorities to consider initiating a referendum.

The protesters celebrated their achievement, stating, “Thanks to the hard work and dedication of people like you, we collected over 116,000 signatures, more than double the number city officials required to enact the referendum.” However, they expressed frustration that a year later, their petitions remain unaddressed in the clerk’s office.

While a federal lawsuit concerning the facility is underway, the project is still on track for completion in December. The protestors criticized Mayor Dickens for not following through on his earlier promise to allow the democratic process to unfold without interference. They claimed his administration has obstructed their efforts, stating, “They are hoping that we will forget about it and move on. Not on our watch!”

Attempts to reach Mayor Dickens’ office for comment went unanswered.

After the brief demonstration, City Council members addressed the protesters’ requests, including remarks from council member Michael Julian Bond, who stated, “We do have the power to do that.” He emphasized the necessity of the new facility, citing issues with the existing training center, which he noted is over 70 years old and has multiple OSHA violations. “We have to provide decent facilities for the people that we employ,” Bond asserted.

Construction of the facility, which has drawn heavy criticism, has faced numerous disruptions and threats. Mayor Dickens reported that Cop City has suffered around $10 million in damages due to arson attempts and vandalism. In a previous news conference, he accused protesters of prioritizing destruction over community welfare, declaring, “They do not want Atlanta to have safety.” The mayor insisted that such acts of vandalism must cease.

City officials revealed that the project’s cost has escalated from $90 million to $109.6 million, attributing the increase to intensifying opposition. This additional funding includes $6 million for heightened security measures and $400,000 for increased insurance costs. Importantly, city officials stated that these costs would not fall on taxpayers or the city budget.

By January, there had been over 80 criminal incidents and more than 173 arrests associated with opposition to the training center. Among those incidents, 23 were classified as arson, leading to significant damage to equipment and facilities across multiple states, including the destruction of police motorcycles and serious vandalism at a local youth diversion program.

Source: USA Today