RICO charges dropped on Cop City protesters

Atlanta, GA – In a devastating blow against Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr’s crusade of attempting to intimidate opponents of the construction of Cop City (a training facility intended to militarize the police and train them in urban warfare tactics), on September 9 a Georgia judge tossed out the case against the 61 people indicted with RICO charges, citing a lack of proper procedure.

This is a continuation of positive developments surrounding the Cop City indictments after the dropping of charges of three activists wrongly indicted of money laundering in connection to the administration of the Atlanta Solidarity Bail funds in 2024.

Construction of Cop City has been met with mass resistance, and as a result the state has escalated its tactics to ensure this waste of taxpayer money is constructed. Not satisfied with the murder of Manuel Paez Terán, the state is determined to both waste public resources and put a strain on the lives of anyone who dares oppose them. A total of 69 activists were indicted in 2023 in connection to protests against Cop City. Of that 69, 61 were indicted on RICO charges, 5 were indicted on domestic terrorism and arson charges, and 3 on money laundering charges in relation to the administration of the Atlanta Solidarity Fund.

These indictments are all part of a larger campaign of intimidation by the state to deter people from actively resisting against the militarization of the police. The construction of Cop City itself was a reaction to the mass protests stemming from the 2020 pandemic and killing of George Floyd.

Attorney Kamau Franklin described the attacks as “a political stance” to help Attorney General Chris Carr’s potential future run as governor of Georgia, indeed, Carr has since launched that campaign.

From the beginning, the charges against the Stop Cop City protesters were flimsy at best. In order for RICO charges to be considered, a connection to a criminal organization must be established. Furthermore, the attorney general must receive permission from the governor before pursuing charges of this nature. Neither condition was met when the state launched its attack against the activists. In fact, the state’s failure to consult the governor is precisely the reason cited by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kevin Farmer in dropping the RICO charges. Farmer stated, “At this time, I do not find the attorney general had the authority to bring this RICO case. The mechanisms were in place, and the steps just weren’t followed.”

This is a victory not just for the defendants but for all workers involved in the struggle against the ever-increasing police state. It is a reminder that the will of the people cannot be circumvented by the lies and tricks of those in power. Despite its best efforts, the state has been unable to prosecute and intimidate those fighting, It has found resistance everywhere it has tried, and it has found no way to counter it.

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