Atlanta police have been carrying out around-the-clock surveillance in several neighborhoods for months, on people and houses linked to opposition against the police training center colloquially known as “Cop City”.
The surveillance in Georgia has included following people in cars, blasting sirens outside bedroom windows and shining headlights into houses at night, the Guardian has learned.
While no arrests have been made, residents said they’re at a loss as to what legal protections of privacy and freedom from harassment are available to them. Chata Spikes, the Atlanta police spokesperson, did not respond to requests for comment.
Not being able to practice your First Amendment Right to Protest because you might Offend a COP who can then LEGALLY KILL YOU is called FREEDOM!
muricaaaa
ACAB
Give people homes, healthcare and education if you are so terrified of crime.
Stop giving babies dressed up as their vision of authoritarian superheroes more guns and power.
Cops don’t need better training, we need better training so we stop thinking about police as fundamentally good or necessary.
Police are violent thugs who made a deal with the current status quo, this is what police have and will always be, especially in countries drowning in rightwing fascism like the U.S.
Police are class traitors
Cops are colonial occupiers
Time to start organizing armed Cop Watch.
He opened the door to see a lit road flare catching fire to the wooden railing next to steps leading to the house’s wooden porch. He ran into the house, filled a bucket with water and doused the flames. It is unclear who left the flare on the porch.
“I’m already paranoid,” he said. “But there’s a difference between police surveillance and trying to burn your house down.” A lawyer recommended filing a police report. “But what if it’s a state actor? Who protects us then?”
Does Atlanta or Georgia have an ombudsman to report to? These intimidation tactics have to be curbed by an outside order.
It feels like shit like ombudsmans and politicians in general are pointless because the cops have all the weapons and they just intimidate those groups into supporting them.
“You want us to protect you from the citizens? Then get good with us or we’ll turn on you, too.”
Like who didn’t think a group of armed thugs wouldn’t turn into a fucking gang that intimidates the Mayor, an individual. They can come after families of almost any elected official. They’re State Actors and the State Can’t Fucking Control Them.
While I think we’d prefer a non violent solution, the answer is the national guard. The national guard would very quickly demonstrate to any police force what the difference between the two is.
You realize that the National Guard is controlled by the Governor, who is firmly on the side of the fascists, right?
I’ve been dissuaded from even so much as putting up a “defend the Atlanta forest” yard sign because of this.
