State Of Emergency Declared In Georgia Over 'Cop City' Protests

ATLANTA, GA — Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency Thursday due to ongoing protests of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center and after a Georgia State trooper part of an operation clearing the site of encampments was shot and the person accused of firing the gun was killed.

The order is in effect until 11:59 p.m., Feb. 9, for the entire state and allows for 1,000 Georgia National Guard troops to be deployed for state active duty.

The soldiers will have arresting and apprehension powers similar to law enforcement "only if the circumstances demand the exercise of such powers to protect the safety of persons or property," according to the order.

"Georgians respect peaceful protests, but do not tolerate acts of violence against persons or property," Kemp said in the order.

A Georgia trooper was shot the morning of Jan. 18 at the future site of the training center at Key Road, which has come to be known as "Cop City."

The trooper was part of a joint task force operation where authorities were attempting to remove people from the site. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said around 25 campsites were removed. Mortar style fireworks, multiple edged weapons, pellet rifles, gas masks and a blow torch were also recovered, the GBI said.

The trooper is in stable condition, authorities said on Tuesday.

A subsequent protest was held on Jan. 21 in downtown Atlanta in the name of Tortuguita, the person accused in the shooting of the state trooper.

Violence erupted near Ellis Street during the downtown protest.

Masked activists dressed in all black threw rocks and lit fireworks in front of a skyscraper that houses the Atlanta Police Foundation, shattering large glass windows. They then lit a police cruiser on fire, smashed more windows and vandalized walls with anti-police graffiti as stunned tourists scattered. Six people were arrested.

The GBI is leading the probe into the shooting of the trooper.

DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston recused herself Wednesday from the shooting case but said her office will keep the cases of seven people who were arrested in protests the day of the shooting. The protesters arrested were charged on suspicion of domestic terrorism.

Five people were arrested in connection with December 2022 protests and were charged on suspicion of domestic terrorism.

DeKalb County Police said patrol around the training center's site will increase.

Protests have been ongoing for at least a year at the training center, with protesters clashing with police over the training center's construction and vying to protect the forest on the land.

Opponents of the training center say the $90 million project, which would be built by the Atlanta Police Foundation, involves cutting down so many trees that it would be environmentally damaging. They also oppose spending so much money on a facility they say will be used to practice “urban warfare.”

According to the Atlanta Police Foundation, the initial phase of the training center is expected to open in the fourth quarter this year.

The Associated Press contributed writing.