Georgia governor declares state of emergency over ‘Cop City’ protests

MAHMOUD BENNETT:

THE GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA HAS DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY 

FOLLOWING VIOLENT PROTESTS IN ATLANTA 

DEMONSTRATORS HAVE BEEN GATHERING IN THE CITY FOR MONTHS, BUT TENSIONS ARE FLARING UP AFTER A POLICE OFFICER SHOT AND KILLED AN ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST WHO HAD REPORTEDLY FIRED A GUN AT A STATE TROOPER

WHAT’S AT THE CENTER OF THE RECENT CLASH IS AN UPCOMING COMPLEX ACTIVISTS HAVE DUBBED *COP CITY*

OFFICIALLY KNOWN AS THE ATLANTA PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING CENTER – THIS MASSIVE STATE-OF-THE-ART PROJECT ENVISIONS A MOCK VILLAGE COMPLETE WITH A SHOOTING RANGE, TRAINING PROPS AND A BURN BUILDING TO TRAIN FEDERAL AND STATE POLICE

OFFICIALS SAY THE 90 MILLION DOLLAR DEVELOPMENT REVOLUTIONIZES LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING

BUT OPPONENTS CALL IT A CENTER FOR POLICE TO PRACTICE URBAN WARFARE

PROMPTING ACTIVISTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO FLY IN AND OCCUPY THE SURROUNDING FORESTS IN PROTEST

THEY ARGUE THE ENTIRE CONCEPT OF THE COMPLEX WILL EXACERBATE POLICE VIOLENCE AGAINST MINORITIES AND HARM THE ENVIRONMENT WITH THE CUTTING DOWN OF TREES AND THE POTENTIAL CHEMICAL RUNOFF FROM TESTING OUT DIFFERENT WEAPONS

IT’S RESULTED IN REPEATED CLASHES BETWEEN POLICE AND SO CALLED FOREST DEFENDERS

THE RECENT EMERGENCY DECLARATION WILL ALLOW GOVERNOR KEMP TO CALL UP TO 1,000 NATIONAL GUARD STOOPS OVER THE NEXT 15 DAYS TO HELP QUELL ANY CIVIL UNREST

I’M MAHMOUD BENNETT WITH STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS – BRINGING YOU THE UNBIASED STRAIGHT FACTS