UCSC Protest: A Year Later

The article reports on the indictment of six people in Atlanta, Georgia, accused of arson and other crimes related to a protest that took place in March 2023. The protest, which followed the police killing of environmental activist Manuel Esteban Paez Terán (Tortuguita), targeted the Atlanta Police Foundation's planned police training facility, dubbed "Cop City," and related construction equipment. The six individuals, previously charged with misdemeanors and felonies, now face new indictments under Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, alongside charges like arson and criminal damage to property. Prosecutors allege the group conspired to damage property and obstruct the construction of the training facility. The article criticizes the RICO charges as excessive and politically motivated, arguing they aim to criminalize dissent and suppress opposition to the controversial "Cop City" project. It highlights the timing of the indictments, nearly a year after the protest, as evidence of their manufactured nature. The article frames the legal action as part of a broader crackdown on environmental and social justice movements, and claims the charges are designed to intimidate activists and discourage future protests against the police training facility and other similar projects. It highlights the potential for severe penalties under the RICO act. find the original article here: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/03/18/sidf-m18.html