Video shows 'Cop City' protesters confront police officers, developer says
Protesters accused of causing chaos at worksite near 'Cop City'
Video obtained by FOX 5 appears to show protesters of the so-called "Cop City," a planned training facility for first responders in southeast Atlanta, coming out of the woods and confronting DeKalb County police officers at an adjacent worksite.
ATLANTA - Vandals destroyed a work crew’s truck near the site of a controversial planned training facility for Atlanta police and first responders.
This happened just days before officers in tactical gear fanned out around what opponents call "Cop City."
The Blackhall Group owns property near that future training center. The company said they sent in a crew to do some work on their own land, but he said protesters got violent.
Ryan Millsap, chairman of the Blackhall Group, sent FOX 5 video of what appeared to show opponents of the training facility in a showdown with DeKalb County police officers. Millsap said his company on Saturday sent workers to clear some land the company owns.
"I sent some contractors out to do some work on private property. They were going out to do some maintenance and clean up in preparation for development out there," Millsap said.
Officers accompanied the crew for safety.
"When the police officers got there, about 40 people came out of the woods. They started throwing rocks and bottles and cans at the police, and at us, and at the cars. They jumped upon the excavator while one of my guys was operating it and smashed all the windows with rocks," Millsap said.
The burned out shell of a Ram 5500 pickup on a property near the so-called "Cop City" in Atlanta on July 30, 2022. (Ryan Millsap / Blackhall Group)
He said vandals ripped the doors off the crew’s Ram 5500 pickup and then torched it.
"They dismantled the truck piece-by-piece and they set the whole thing on fire," Millsap said.
Graffiti at a property near the so-called "Cop City" in Atlanta. (Ryan Millsap / Blackhall Group)
The also spray-painted threats on the sidewalk directly aimed at him, he said.
"I take it very seriously," Millsap exclaimed.
One threat reads "if this park isn’t safe, then Millsap isn’t either."
Graffiti left near the so-called "Cop City" which reads "If this park isn’t safe, then Millsap isn’t either." (Ryan Millsap / Blackhall Group)
"These people are real." Millsap said. "I think they are a credible threat."
Protesters have clashed with police in the past. Homeowners in the neighboring Boulderwalk subdivision believe the same demonstrators are behind vandalism in their community.
"I think it’s quite crazy," said Alison Clark. "Vandalizing property and terrorizing the community is completely unhelpful."
Property owned by Blackhall Group that is adjacent to the so-called "Cop City" in Atlanta. (FOX 5)
The Atlanta Police Foundation plans to build on 85-acres nearby. They said they’ll preserve the remaining 265-acres as green space. However, protesters call it an expansion of the police state that threatens the Atlanta forest.
FOX 5 tried to reach Defend the Forest Atlanta via social media. They did not respond as of Thursday evening.
Atlanta police said, "Georgia Power was on scene (Wednesday) conducting repairs." DeKalb County police have yet to respond to a request for comment on the story.