Snippet of Press Release from the Office of the Attorney General of Georgia, USA:
September 05, 2023
Carr: 61 Indicted in Fulton County in Atlanta Public Safety Training Center Investigation
Defendants charged with Racketeering, Domestic Terrorism
ATLANTA, GA – Attorney General Chris Carr today announced the indictment of 61 people in Fulton County following a multi-agency investigation into the violence that has occurred at the site of the future Atlanta Public Safety Training Center and other locations. All 61 defendants have been charged with Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Several of the defendants are also facing separate charges of Domestic Terrorism, Attempted Arson in the First Degree, and Money Laundering. As alleged in the indictment, the defendants are members of Defend the Atlanta Forest, an anarchist, anti-police, and anti-business extremist organization. They are alleged to have conspired together to prevent the construction of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center by conducting, coordinating, and organizing acts of violence, intimidation, and property destruction in Fulton County, elsewhere in the State of Georgia, and other states. Of the 61 defendants who have been indicted, only 13 are from Georgia.
“As this indictment shows, looking the other way when violence occurs is not an option in Georgia,” said Carr. “If you come to our state and shoot a police officer, throw Molotov cocktails at law enforcement, set fire to police vehicles, damage construction equipment, vandalize private homes and businesses, and terrorize their occupants, you can and will be held accountable. We will not waver when it comes to keeping people safe, enforcing the rule of law, and ensuring those who engage in criminal activity are vigorously pursued and aggressively prosecuted.”
This investigation was led by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) in partnership with the Atlanta Police Department (APD), the Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS), the DeKalb County Police Department, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“The criminal acts of those named in this indictment have placed public safety personnel and members of the community in danger,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “This major step is a testament to the GBI’s commitment to protecting the citizens of Georgia. We will continue to work with the Georgia Attorney General’s Office and our local and federal partners to hold any person who seeks to harm the lives of others accountable.”