6/5/23 Public Comment Tally

	A	B	C	D	E	G
1	Expected: at least 9 hours of public comment					Watch livestream here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQK2B_Fo0pU&ab_channel=atlcouncil-AtlantaCityCouncil
2	TOTAL TALLY				Support the Atlanta Community Press Collective!
3	For Cop City:	4
4	Against Cop City:	234			Note: normally speakers have 2 minutes to speak; many of these people had time "ceded" to them from other people, and spoke between 2-10 minutes, meaning they represent more of those who signed up than appear on this sheet.
5	Unrelated:	2
6	Unclear	2
7	RATIO OF AGAINST TO FOR:	98.32%
8
9	For Cop City	Against Cop City	Unrelated	Unclear	Notes

10		1			State Representative Ruwa Romman
11		1			Reverend James Woodall, Southern Center for Human Rights
12	1				Police officer, saying he got to facility and saw it was in bad shape, speaking with gun on hip
13		1			"Vote to put this back in committee...use whatever excuse you want...if you have to, vote no. The facility is not for safety. While I'm sympathetic to the firemen who have been tied to this...facility....it's clear that fire and rescue are not the real priority of what we call Cop City"
14	1				"We are here to support the mayor" - a young girl with her siblings
15	1				"He, our mayor, has come under ruthless and priveleged attacks" "I am here to thank the mayor for giving... voice to those without" "Investments in our youth"
16	1				Georgia Federation of Public Employees - "police officers have gotten over 40%"; "we do support a trainee center... ignore plantation politics"; "this fight is about trees for the priveliged"
17				1	Allen Lee - labor relations, against HR director. Talking "the kids are more afraid of some of the folks here than cop city"; "I'm with you when you say 'Viva Tortiguita'". "I've spent a lifetime engaging in civil disobedience". Talking about the recent arrests - "encourage the council to say to the prosecutors... that those people are not terrorists" "Those people need to have those charges dropped." Defending the mayor. Couldn't tell if he's for or against Cop City
18		1			Garry Spencer - NAACP Legal Defense Fund; District 12. Talks about police mliitarization and its disproportional impact on black and brown communities, particularly SWAT teams. "Invest in affordable housing"
19		1			"You should be ashamed of yourselves" Went to Booker T Washington. "I stand with Reverend Jones against Cop City"
20		1			south river watershed alliance. proposed facility "racist to its core" bc targets communities of color. check all 3 environmental racism boxes. it's not 85 acres, check the land disturbance permit. increase in taxes for this facility will force many vulnerable citizens out of the city.
21		1			republican candidate for district 4. against cop city. money being wasted for cop city could go to other police needs. says if he's elected he'll find land elsewhere for a training center
22		1			"Actions by state actors, too, can be red herrings"; Talking about the SWAT raid on Atlanta Solidarity Fund; "I find it really inconsistent that the Atlanta Solidarity Fund is the one being charged... instead of the APF". How Cop City is connected to domestic terrorist charges, police raids, and the killing of Tortiguita. "Don't ignore the people or the processes." "I had a gun put to my head when I was 14 by the APD." "What is up with the money?" Talking about the lease back agreement
23		1			Southern Center For Human Rights; They aren't letting people in and stop cop city
24		1			Friend of Amy Pierre. "Dickens... exploited Amy while erasing her." AJC rejected her op-ed. Shoutout to ACPC. "She was known to oppose Cop City." Policing alternatives and diversions instead. Councilmember Wan and Westmoreland
25		1			Councilmember Marci Overstreet. "We must stop ecocide." "Join together and help the people rather than your own self-interest."
26		1			Libertarian. "Building this is a spit in the face of the people" Grew up in and around Atlanta, the out-of-towners are the corporate donors. "You're sending more militarized police to our neighborhoods." "I will not support a police state."
27		1			"History doesn't forget." Talking about back-alley promises. "Do the right thing."
28		1			Importance of nature - "Do we desire to cultivate life or do we desire to... constrain it?" The effect of black mold on poor communities. "Violence does not fix anything."
29		1			Councilmember Overstreet. Cop City is taking money away from housing. "Wasting taxpayer money." "Tear it up"
30		1			Muskogee member. Methodist Church Member. Sits on the UN Council on Indigenous People. Environmental destruction because of Cop City. "This is my home. And I've told my children I want to come back home one day." Talks about him and his son visiting Weelaunee Forest; "the earth will still be here when cop city falls"
31		1			Reverend Keyanna Jones. "The mayor's hired lackeys have left the building." "I will have a conversation with anyone outside of this chamber." Accountability for domestic terrorism charges and SWAT raids, "I have never seen someone use SWAT to arrest people for charity fraud. People are being arrested for taking part in the insurrection two years ago, and SWAT isn't being sent to their homes!". "We have a duty to stand against injustice."
32		1			Matthew Johnson. "These are our lives." Led a meditation in Weelaunee Forest, several who went charged with domestic terrorism without causing any harm. "
33		1			Rev Darci. District 1. Park Ave Church.
34		1			Micah. Record turnout at city hall. New updates - Pricetag of up to $67 million based on AJC. "You all should be mad at the APF and the mayor." City hall is partnerning with facist republicans like Governor Kemp to raid Atlanta Sol Fund. The changing and lying of the APF.
35		1			young girl reads from the lorax. "unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it's not." brought one loblolly pine seedling for each council member. reading her own seuss-esque poetry. big applause
36		1			member of surrounding community. comments on measures to stop public comment (no liquids, not letting people in, misleading press releases, etc). cites ACPC reports of cost discrepancy, mayor's comments that facility won't be rented out at NPU-W meeting where comments were muted. who would go to a park next to a police facility? discusses south river pollution and its impacts downstream. "sounds like a huge liability". possible lawsuit about blank's stipulation that land remain forest. prove apf money has been raised before committing us. reads city design statement from 2017
37		1			educator and part of weelaunee coalition, resident of district 5. commenting against insinuation from previous comments that this is a white movement. council members have heard from so many different groups and perspectives and remain unmoved. project is epitome of injustice done against the will of the people with public funds. APF has not had to report back to city council. is APF a nonprofit, or a for-profit real estate company perpetuating gentrification. hundreds of questions, different or no answers every time. arrested sol fund members are the ones who consistently show up in solidarity. discusses tort's assassination. quoting frederick douglas "power concedes nothing without demand."
38		1			daxton, morehouse student. "Black leaders have become pawns... in our own oppression."
39		1			Oren. Student organizer, Emory student. "Cop City will never be built." Thankful to Councilmembers willing to meet with student organizers. Police violence "... is built and baked into the structure." Incredible lack of transparency. Councilmember who is close friends with a lobbyist of the APF. Built in an area where the people have no vote. "If you vote yes, you are saying you do not stand with the people of Atlanta."
40		1			Jack. Member of Councilmember Norwood's district. "Dang council, back at it again with the tyrannical plans." Commenting against police militarization, police raids. Let people in the building. Healing will not happen with the police, prisons.
41		1			Amy Taylor. Live on Key Road. Rep of Starlight Heights community. Commenting on surviellance and police occupation. Took pictures of runoff of sediment into Entrenchment Creek. Violation of Clean Water Act. Not deterring crime in Amy's neighborhood.
42		1			Devon Ward. "Ain't no crime wave in Atlanta. Half of the force is here."
43		1			Kyle Lamont. Commenting on Atlanta as a home of black individuals being policed.
44		1			"Rioting is the voice of the unheard." Commenting on not being heard and dehydration, both through physical lack of water and elsewise through the city council and police force.
45		1			Alan Peterson, Atlanta native, small business owner. Commenting on how the majority of Atlanta disapproves of Cop City.
46		1			Resident in Old 4th Ward, moved last year.
47		1			Susi Duran. Legal observer with National Lawyers Guild. Moved to Atlana 7yrs ago. Cop City as a sight of oppression. APD arresting legal observers in 2020. "We're not outside agitators, we're immigrants."
48		1			Mariam Ahmad. Lives within 5 miles of the site of Cop City. "Public health is about prevention." "Cop City is extremely detrimental to our health."
49		1			Alexander. Commenting on 2017 Atlanta City Design and how it contradicts the proposal for Cop City
50		1			Deaf resident talks about violent experiences with APD due to speech diferences. Commentting on disproportionate impacts of policing on people with disabilities and people of color with disabilities. "Y'all don't give a damn about disabled people." CM Bond claims they neeed to get back on disabilities accessabilities for city council (had it at some point)
51		1			Erica Mead 6 min due to yeilded time D1 & NPU-W calls out Hillis for looking like a bored SAT teacher, "stand with the many" "stand with democracy"
52		1			Noah Grigby - singing an amazing rendition of Big Yellow Taxi!!!
53		1			Tanya Washington signed with mutliply faculty members speaking against cop city, this vote reminds me of the gulch deal, asks to have it sent back to committee
54		1	1		Alison Johnson w/ HJL power concedes nothing without demand, atl has the highest income inequality, we haven't seen the budget (talking about the housing trust fund) also calls out for stop cop city
55		1			Ron Shakur SW Atl "the citizens of atl have stood up and said no to cop city" "atl matters" "where would MLK be on this vote"
56		1			Tim Franzen w/ american friends service committee mentiones Kathryn Johnson as an example of over policing, calls out individual CMs - CMs are human but everyone else here is human too "it's almost like you all want something crazy to happen"
57			1		Fig White w/ HJL need for affordable housing
58		1			Maleena Abdula W/ BLM grassroots flew in from Los Angeles "what you're planning to do with cop city affects me and my children"
59		1			Rev Yearwood 4 min - is prez of the hip hop caucus (they've said no to cop city), is also a climate activist, was arrested w/ Bond's father for climate justice @ white house under Obama
60		1			Mark Thompson founding chair of the Washington NAACP police complaints
61		1			calls out that SWAT is a paramilitary officer,"that militarizes every dept that has one [SWAT team]", mentions Baby Bou Bou in Habersham county "y'all are paying rent to the APF" "your existance is due to our resistance" "we're supposed to protest like nice boys and girls" calls out Warnock and Ossoff
62		1			Monty Benjamin 4 min- Lost a son (killed by a cop) isn't anti-cop, has family members in law enforcement, this $$ should be invested in communities vs a building calls it a "police playground" officers need to be held accountable it took 2 yrs after her son was killed to learn what really happeend to him and the officer was promoted during that time
63		1			Kimberly Brooks "if cop city is built you will kill Black people" we may need federal intervention (for not protecting Black people), anyone who votes for cop city is not an advocate for the Black community
64		1			Vanessa Ward 1st time speaker! if cop city keeps going all of us might be in trouble (the whole US)
65		1			Jordan Harmond speaker #80 Deerclan, Muscogee, the city of Atl only exists bc of their People's forceful removal, "my relative's bones fertalized the trees in the Welaunee forest" our homecomming is powerful and this won't be the last time you see us here
66		1			Amber Shermon from Memphis - if this is really the year of the youth wouldn't we see more investment in the youth/communities, what happens with cop city affects us globally, mentions the scanner audio from Sally, "we won't take it any more" "we said stop cop city on any land and meant that"
67		1			Curtis Duncan 10 min lives in Overstreet's district, cop city has been built on a lie, and to maintain the enequalities that have existed for a long time, police goes back to slave catchers/klan, gives continued history of policing, GBI did nothing about the ATL child murders (when they were happening) and pinned it on a Black man to avoid a race riot, if america was a democracy then this would still be Muscogee land, "when you side with cop city you are siding with fascism"
68		1			Demonta Vereno wants to point out all the melananin in the room (and outside) and that this movement is multiracial, "you cannot divide us"
69		1			Speaker #85 "aint no one supporting this cop city shit what you talmbout"
70		1			Clifton Kelly - is fire and isn't here repping his dept - this is a gross missuse of funds and first responders stand to gain nothing from cop city
71		1			Tiffany Joiner - new mom from Dekalb, to all who are listening "the time is now" to fight for our future by standing together, CMs the world is watching you
72		1			Jermaine Stubbs 4 min - with PSL - "we [SPL] says no to cop city fund people's needs not the police"
73		1			Yasmin Orbs - with PSL - cop city will set the blue print for how to wage war against the people
74		1			Basil Jupiter - with PSL - we are united against cop city
75		1			Jacob - with PSL - we have shown you courtesty by standing in line to speak to you, the courtesty you have shown us should leave no window unbroken here
76		1			Robel Aoka (I'm sorry I butchered your name) from SW atl, first time speaker! is here bc of his 2yo daughter, Cop city is the most anti Black thing proposed in his lifetime
77		1			Tony Michelle Williams - from SNAP - "we don't want this shit" we want Black trans women to stay alive, we don't want this shit
78		1			Acosua speaker #97 I may say some things you've already heard but I'm a muscian and repetition is how you learn "a healthy society does not include policing" "I challenge you to be a human being"
79		1			Jennifer SW atl, Boone district, calls out whitesupremacy
80		1			Dashking "When you arrest 3 of us you activate 300 of us" "I promise you, we can be louder"
81		1			Gabriel Sanchez - from ATL DSA - had to move out of ATL bc it's too expensive, the best way to stop crime is to eliminate poverty, points out how Black and Brown ppl are disproprtionatly poor and cannot come out to public comment due to working multiple jobs
82		1			Elisa Gambino- from Buckhead, Norwood's district, calls out Norwood for always calling out "crime", went canvassing to stop cop city "civil rights don't just belong in a museum they belong to all of us"
83		1			Matt Bass lawyer, yoga instructor and pastor, queer - "we need to get ahold of this APF" "you work for us"
84		1			Akeel Gregory 8 min- some of his time was ceeded bc someone had to leave and pick up their kids and that's the story of many people, where did all the people go who spoke for cop city?(they came/left) y'all are charging the next gen for this project, the first thing that needs to be done is restoring that forest. Tort should be here today.	sorry for delay, they just tried to kick us out with cops lol. people are staying.
85		1			Jack Joiner 4 min - from Atl Justice Alliance - is delivering Marlon's words (he became sick while in jail)
86		1			Mark Spencer 10 min - reps healthcare, notes that he spoke to many of the CMs during the close the jail campaign "we cannot have healthy communities without healthy democracy" we want alternatives to police not rebranded police
87		1			speaker #109
88		1			Joe Peery, has been touring prison farm and giving tours and hiking there for over a decade. brought poster of 296 acres total that the prison farm is, notes that they are constructing on 171 acres -- it's not 85 acres.
89		1			In Farokhi district; Talking about how many people have spoken from the heart about why they don't want Cop City. Addresses Alex Wan, is a professor of Religion at Emory University. "We don't want it because it doesn't contribute to life. It's not an institution of peace. It's not a way forward for our city that we love."
90		1			"Accountability makes you uncomfortable." speaking about hypocrisy of politicians, discussing murder of Tortuguita, raid of the Atlanta Solidarity Fund. "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible make violent revolution inevitable"
91		1			Jay Crawford #116 works in food justice speaks on the wrongness of the Sol Fund arrest, would a burn town be built next to a school in Buckhead? Why is it being built next to a school on constitution.
92		1			Burnette Calls on Dickens to end the lease for cop city because we need clean air earth and soil and a healthy earth to survive "we need earth justice"
93		1			Alex Joseph (they're on 120 and they need to get to 360, they've had to skip over some people bc they left) - former state and federal prosecutor, there is already a training center in forsyth GA, if every police force can have their own training center then it becomes a race of who can do it bigger/better. Why should we trust APF to run a training center when they have no experience doing so?
94		1			David Martin D5 talks about the ACPC article on what the city will actually pay, notes no one has addressed how much it will actaully cost
95		1			Lee Dang - Moved from FL (bc of Desantis) under the impression that this community "really doesn't fucking want it [cop city]", I'm gonna have to move if I feel like GA is becoming like FL
96		1			Local artist (missed name)
97		1			Bond wants to say that CoA can't provide healthcare or social services or public transportation - crowd is arguing back with him
98		1			Abundia - I come from Mexico, this country is fascist! the power is in the people here, do your job and stop cop city
99		1			John Meyer I ask the CMs to listen to your constituents and vote for services that give a helping hand vs a baton
100		1			playing police scanner, during vigil for Bre'Asia Powell they cut the livestream part way through
101		1			Olive O'riley is speaking out against the horrors of solitary in deklab jail for being a visible member of the LGBTQ+ community, "this entire system is sick and cannot be reformed!"
102		1			Layla Flores - is a forest defender, we have found each other through the many events that have been held. This movement has created connections of support. "Today we made city hall the new living room"	comment 157 (of people signed up, fewer comments because of ceded time)
103		1			Andres Yara 6 min- points out many victims are immigrants (Tort, the chicken plant in Gainsville, Spa shooter victims) GA/USA does not give a damn about us immigrants, cops do nothing to protect, police didn't raid Norfolk Southern but they raided the teardown. Calls out CMs who are no votes. The world is against cop city, against you, against corporations
104		1			Student addressing primarily Bond IF you truly cared about people then you would do something, you are useless. I cannot convince you that we don't need a training center despite all the evidence against it. This is environmental racism in action. "I know some of you are old but I want a planet to live on in 30 years"
105		1			Eliza Faucet (#137) from Grant Park notes Winston was part of the Grant Park conservancy, calls on him to vot against cop city
106		1			Dr Ariana Brazier D11 we must invest in the needs of the people
107		1			Tee Troutman current GA author of the year, homeowner lives near the Weelaunee forest, misinformation is a tactic of facism
108		1			Eva Dickerson (#152) Land acknowlegment to the Muscogee people and the Black ancestors who bled on this land before, do you remember 2020 when we took over these streets? This is our city
109		1			Leah Clements - Singing a song against cop city
110		1			Ross - it's obvious that you want bigger police to silence us, this is the full fascism
111		1			Niah Clark listen to us we do not want cop city, calls out fellow Black CMs and cops for upholding white supremacy
112		1			(#157) Mother in Atl, fascism starts with one vote in one city council, building cop city is an act of violence
113		1			Sam, ex teacher saw prosters get tazed in freedom park, you don't just have an obligation you have a lovely opportunity
114		1			Scarlet Mayoralgo GSU alumni, GA working families, has been canvasing in Lewis' district, the people know the budget is a pie and if APF is eating 1/3rd of it then other people are going hungry. We are doing more for ATL than a police officer with a shiny new car will ever do
115		1			Amy Castino westend D4 GA working families our govt should work for the people not the elite few
116		1			Lavender - is an addict in recovery, addicts have done so much for me, skin color is so often what will decide if an addict will get help or not, we need homes not jails and nature
117		1			Alex Rampart thanks everyone who has been a part of the movement
118		1			Baily I'm here to present you with facts rooted in every day reality, we are not the ones escalating the violence
119		1			Grady nurse first met Tort after a first aid training they gave, Tort asked for a training on gunshot wounds, that training was supposed to happen on the 21st
120		1			Hannah grief educator
121		1			Jordan Strief D5 calling out Bond's arrogance, is this your fidicuary obligation?
122		1			Macy Thomas with the Aster Project "maybe you could allocate some of the budget to fix the elevators" reading from the APF website "you haven't laid a single brick and the mission statement has already been broken" "a budget is a moral doccument"
123		1			Sienna Egger GSU student D5 we are part of the natural world and we are here at city hall begging you to save it
124		1			Priscilla Smith everyone has said everything that there is to be said so I'm going to speak from the heart we cannot be protexted by people we are afraid of
125		1			Temperence "I wasn't punished as a kid and I don't do crimes" "I had a safe and happy home" if you want the crime rate to go down I'm just saying
126		1			Kaylen Pitts I think we can all agree this has gone off the rails at this point, this is my first city council meeting, I had to take off work to be here
127		1			Emily Baccus elementary APS music teacher - singing "which side are you on"
128		1			Samantha Severin
129		1			Page - long time listener first time caller D1 begging city council from their heart to not commit millions of $ to cop city
130		1			Kelsey -Sings a song for Tortuguita
131		1			Sara Giordano speaking on a home invasion they experienced with police making the situation far worse, this is a systemic problem
132		1			Sahsa Freeman D1, points out Winston's website advocates for PAD, asks why you're turning your back on the people, invest in PAD
133		1			Nadia Bihizida in school, when there is increased policing, there's increased suspensions, systems of surveilance do not serve communities
134		1			Liz Saunders small biz owner on bouldercrest rd, every day since December they have had to drive past cops to get to work with cops loitering in their parking lot . has been scared to speak for fear of retrebution at their business
135		1			Kim Scott calls out the environmental and historic challenges that are not being met
136		1			Alexis GA with conservation voters
137		1			Josh Harring calls out how there are no specifics on what kinda of better policing will be at cop city
138		1			Calls out closing of hospitals while giving $ to a training center
139		1			Emma from D6 whose safety do you have in mind?
140		1			Ash D5 today is that day that you can stand up for your community and make a difference
141		1			Thalia (#217) farmer D4 grew up near a creek and played in it all the time until one day there was a sign saying it was safe, asks what will happen when there's no water left
142		1			Sebastian Wilson quotes Baldwin
143		1			Scott Nesbitt calls out GILEE/IDF "are you tired? bc we're tired of injustice"
144		1			Waller Gobel from O4W I've called and emailed my council member a lot and I haven't heard from him and I want to know why, will be calling him tomorrow
145		1			Zach Justice from Grant Park if your goal is to keep citizens safe why not invest in communities
146		1			Nathan knoff with DSA, think about the immense good $67m could do for communities
147		1			Jess Shoe D2 registered nurse
148		1			Taylor A, district 5, recap May 15 showout, ASF arrests, fascism, "this is my new trash tv"
149		1			Speaker holding up QR code citing sources, listing several reasons why they are against Cop City
150		1			Master's from Georgia Tech, from Atlanta. Has studied political transitions, and how charges of extremism are used to attack and imprison political opponents, linking it to APD's treatment of protestors. Branding someone a terrorist "positions them as the lowest of the low...positions them as the enemy combatant in the war on terror...it enables even greater militarization"
151		1			Ricardo, Georgia Tech student in District 3; thanks Atlanta Police Foundation for giving him a better education in civics, government, and economics than any class taken in school; talks about how APF has activated him politically and gotten more involved with the movement; addressed understanding there is lots of corporate money behind this, pressure to vote project through; "a lot of you are afraid of losing your jobs but a lot of us are afraid of losing our lives"; "leases can still be ended and funding can still be rejected"
152		1			Grad student Emory public health (Rollins Center), directly addresses Shipman who came and spoke to their school; solutions must uplift communities, not tear them apart, and must address root causes; housing, healthcare, diversion, these initiatives come at lower monetary and social cost; discussed environmental devastation and pollution, primarily impacting Black communities; true cost of facility being obscured
153		1			Music and Econ Emory student; lack of transparency, fiscal irresponsibility, erosion of democracy and embolden state repression of dissent, mentions evictions of student peaceful protests at Georgia Tech and Emory, murder of Tortuguita, ASF arrests; not funding hospitals after losing level 1 trauma center, need to reevaluate how we allocate resources
154		1			Georgia native, healthcare worker, experience working in jails and prisons across Georgia, supported during COVID especially in Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, horrible conditions that this project can't fix because PIC is functioning how it's supposed to
155		1			Student at Georgia Tech, not a single student they've talked to has support for this project because they know about impacts and they care about their community, not corporations, cites the many letters across Atlanta schools, "I guarantee you we are not misinformed"
156		1			District 4, member of Critical Resistance, fight policing surveillance and imprisonment; "safe communites are not heavily policed, they are heavily resourced... policing at its core is a violent institution", training doesn't change that, cited banned chokeholders in NYC, Minneapolis PD murdering George Floyd, Uvalde response time
157		1			Father was Black panther who spent 40 years in prison, discussed excessive flooding in Lakewood Heights, called out Mayor Dickens for not being here and interacting with us, "housing trust fund has become a slush fund"
158		1			Moved to Atlanta from Louisiana before Katrina to get Master's at GSU; calls city council lapdogs of APF, "you are cutting my life off at the roots," "we do not want them to be better paid or better trained killers"
159		1			small business owner, homeowner, construction worker, "follow my lead and choose people over profit"
160		1			Chair of Public Health & Safety Kirkwood Neighbors Association, military industrial complex and PIC exist for profit and social control, police exist to protect capital and defend private property
161		1			PhD mathmetician, student, educator at Georgia Tech; references DuBois portrait out in city hall, vote yes here is membership of the "tainted tenth"
162		1			Resident of DeKalb County, speaks about the beauty of movement opposed to facility, ATL forest home to more than 50 species of trees, makes this place climate resilient, "thriving community of interconnections of lifeforms" comparison between the forest and nature of the movement
163		1			Lived here for a decade, yes vote would cause damage to city's ecosystem and people of Atlanta and beyond is irreconcilable, irreversable ecological destruction; will not accept picking our pockets to do this; no money and revoke the lease
164		1			rights violated the moment they stepped into the building, "we do not want to lick their [police officers] bloodstained boots"
165		1			Resident of East Atlanta (for 8 years), 2020 brutal police response with tear gas during peaceful protests, better response than state violence, further militarizing police will only hurt us
166		1			District 5 resident, noting that it's the public who has the mandate, not the city council; "If you vote yes on this today, may God have mercy on your soul"
167		1			Speaking about a close friend who died last month who was part of the movement to Stop Cop City; ever since he was jailed for a traffic violation, experienced trauma and terror seeing police
168		1			Organizer with Community Movement Builders, Aunt to two nieces, and social scientist; has seen how policing exists to protect elites and wealth. A vote for cop city is a vote for fascism
169		1			Margaret Spalding; South River Watershed Alliance - saw APF's lobbyist running around all day speaking with councilmembers. Reading Bernice King's statement asking how any Atlanta councilmember could vote yes on Cop City funding and live with their conscience after hearing today's public comments? Asking for it to be moved back to the Finance Committee, and notes that the promises of parkland from the Mayor are completely unfunded in the proposal; says Dozier should also send it to CDHS committee.
170		1			Matthew Lizius (sp?), born in Atlanta; has been here all day, after 12 hours of public comment with impassioned speeches, "the only hope that I have is really in the people"; says most councilmembers are bought and paid for; 500 people have said stop cop city, and they're gonna do the opposite because they're bought and paid for. "This project in every form is an enemy to Black people, period"; denounces solidarity fund raid
171		1			"You're really gonna vote on 67 million dollars" when there is so much homelessness? Says she's not against police, but she's against Cop City, what they're trying to do is wrong. Says it's time for new leadership
172		1			"I'd like to address the people who actually matter" = the people downstairs, in here, etc, not the councilmember, speaks about upcoming week of action at end of June, talks about necessity of people power to crush this project. Dave Wilkinson is smuggling the project through Council
173		1			Organizer with Community Movement Builders, have seen how Black people in Atlanta don't have access to basic necessities, quality housing, quality schools, food, etc. Millions going to this project to train the police that will probably arrest and harass those who are at the bottom rungs of society instead of investing in making sure people can get what they need
174		1			member of Democratic Socialists of America, born in East Atlanta - "I'm not a so called outside agitator, but so what if I was?" talking about how it is a national issue
175		1			jackson high school grad speaking as a young person from atlanta against cop city
176		1			midtown resident and georgia tech student district 2 resident talks about amy st pierre and midtown shooting and gun safety and community care. mentioned sol fund arreest and atlanta student organizing
177		1			15 year old dekalb county resident and public school student. cop city trains SROs to brutalize students.
178		1			disabled dekalb public school alum and dekalb resident and youth organizer. environemtal and racial justice issue in dekalb county.
179		1			distrcit 2 resident and GA tech alum. friend of scout killed by georgia tech police. censorship of georgia tech journalist. comparative training facility size with other police forces. criticize public private partnerships. discussed solidarity fund raid
180		1			shocked its still an option after floyd brooks tortuguita murders. blood on city councils hands for cop city violence in and beyond atlanta (district 6 resident) gay trans womens rights means stop cop city
181		1			atlanta resident wants funding for housing not cop city, discusses inequality in atlanta. trans person saying that cop city supports kemp's war on trans people. mentioned fulton county jail death.
182		1			dekalb and atlanta resident says atlanta community is so important. criticizes terrorist charges. viva tortuguita.
183		1			gsu student atl resident and former aps teacher. criticizes israeli police exhange and militarized tactics.
184		1			addressed online audience--in atlanta and globally. week of action coming up.
185		1			decauter resident and doctor at emory. project is bad idea scientifically and economically. discusses better uses of city funds such as parks and rec department
186		1			spiritual leader of african descent and black mama. born and raised near forest and daughter of one of first black firefighters in atlanta. marine corp vet. this is not good training--works with former military and corrections officers.
187		1			can city council see my humanity? 60 million for cop city when people are dying of poverty is absurd. KSU student.
188		1			dekalb resident and immigrant from country in fascist turn. serve the people and not the corproates
189		1			arguments fail so only emotions can work. not asking to abolish police or prisons (moans from crowd)--only asking modest demand of city council. spatial inequality in atlanta is extreme. all of atlanta deserves parks and schools and investment not just cops.
190		1			lives right near cop city and is also fourth grade teacher. i hope you are listneing to the people who dont want urban warfare training. people said no at 30 million and we sure as hell dont want to spend 67 million.
191		1			drinking water is impacted by south river forest conditions particualrly when it rains. indigenous land back and house the houseless.
192		1			immigration attorney and east atlanta village resident and mother. leaseback deal is illegal under city charter. mad taxpater at use of funds. civil rights issues of repression of stop cop city movement. city council has power of the purse.
193		1			district 5 resident and dekalb resident and attorney and law professor says law is not justice all the time. new market tax credit that's illegal under state and federal law.
194		1			what is an outside agitator? cop city is a global issue. kemp dickens and apd engaged in coordinated acts of terrorism.
195		1			blood of tortuguita is on all your hands, apf are real outside agitators. long line of GA farmers and teachers. grandfather killed by police. radicalized by pandemic as a healthcare worker.
196		1			calling for them to vote no or send back to committee. "I am obviously Black, I am obviously a woman"
197		1			Educational professional, historian of southern/central latino history, DeKalb County resident, making comparisons between School of the Americas and Cop City
198		1			not here to speak to city council, but to the people. singing a song - "Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on, hold on"
199		1			Born and raised in District 11, great grandmother was Cherokee and a teacher, secretary with Julian Bond's father
200		1			Been here since 8am, was at press conference with Young Democrats; lessons they should consider: treat others how you wish to be treated -- "are you honestly treating people the way you would want to be treated"; talking about promises broken from 2010 and 2017 regarding parks, taken away in 2021; asking: is atlanta better for your efforts?
201				1	person speaking in spanish requesting a police officer who can translate; no one came after 15 minutes, still waiting (will keep updating)
202		1			social worker, speaking to importance of evidence-based practices. committing to not growing weary or quitting, noting today's historic turnout proves that
203		1			Speaking against outside agitator narrative and how many locals oppose it; for him, born and raised in Tennessee, moved to Atlanta for college at Georgia tech, worked briefly out of state then returned quickly to Atlanta. has been disappointed a long time by atlanta leadership; "if you don't stop this here, it's not over!"
204		1			Resident of unincorporated DeKalb County, less than 3 miles from proposed construction site. Has "virtually no recourse" to stop cop city with elected officials because they don't vote on this. Says already they hear helicopters and sirens near their house when police attack protestors, and construction traffic is taking a toll on their roads. Cop City is making their community less safe, more surveilled. Talking about ways that police have belittled or intimidated/obstructed residents looking to give public comment today.
205		1			Has to work at 6am this morning (in roughly 4 hours) - a student, met with some councilmembers but others wouldn't meet with them. "Many of you don't really seem to listen or care". Called police for a friend who was being stalked, and were told there was no officer who could give appropriate advice on how to deal with it; send it back to committee or vote it down altogether
206		1			Edgewood resident, spoke to 17,000 people in Atlanta while running for office, and none of them supported Cop City; thanks councilmembers for sitting and listening to residents; "it is the essence of democracy to enact the will of the people." raises concerns: lack of transparency throughout process. Vote no, send it back to committee
207		1			"I think I'm supposed to say good morning" - it's 1:49am, has been here since 10am. retired auto worker and 50 year resident. ive been other places where theres injustice so i applaud people who have come to atlanta to support stop cop city. its an international movement
208		1			disabled veteran fought in the war on terror says calling forest defenders terrorists is offensive. cop city is racist terrorism.
209		1			district 5 resident says listen to the people
210		1			midtown resident from atlanta says this is undemocratic process
211		1			power is in the people
212		1			systemic racism and policing will be exacerbated by cop city
213		1			trying to empathize with city council and ask them to listen to the people
214		1			its easy to vote no and listen to the people. god hates cop city and loves nature
215		1			born and raised in dekalb county we need rent control not cop city
216		1			growing up muslim and arab after 9/11 was hard because of police
217		1			former district 4 resident and family has been touched by police brutality wishes atlanta would do better
218		1			formerly incarcerated student from oklahoma and future civil rights attorney in town supporting stop cop city
219		1			occupy atlanta organizer raises tax and civil rights issues
220		1			we are not going anywhere
221		1			land back and cancel the lease
222		1			called out lack of spanish translation option and communication from council. where is diversity and accessibility in atlanta? many of us are immigrants and undocumented
223		1			arts and culture manager for beltline; unincorporated DeKalb in Gresham Park, spoke about history of land and prison farm, "why can't the forest be a monument"
224		1			spoke about Red scare and the historical forces city council is part of, spoke about tax write off and funding from Brasfield & Gorrie to Cop City, "is that not tax fraud"
225		1			metro ATL resident for 30 years, council answers to its constituents, taxpayers
226		1			knew Scout before they were shot dead by police at Georgia Tech, knew Tort, Cop City will not provide public safety
227		1			Cop City is experimental, idea of scaling it up before it's even started when policing has only been shown to be a failure is absurd, "how hard is it to guess what's going to happen when you divert public funds to something there's overwhelming opposition to and has already caused a great deal of harm"
228		1			Royce Mann, absurdity of cops murdering a peaceful forest defender at the site of the proposed facility while protesting said facility
229		1
230		1			"but are you listening... your vote will show"
231		1			Bachelor's and Master's in Geoscience at GSU, was homeless after Katrina, spoke about danger to community and children specifically
232		1			native Atlantan
233		1			Quoted Tortuguita
234		1			brings up initial vote after 17 hours of public comment
235		1			nobody would have to be here if they had done the right thing in the first place, tort would be alive, and we wouldn't have runoff in south river. people think city council is corrupt. this is their chance to prove them wrong.
236		1			8 year resident, trans woman, gt student. should be the easiest decision they've ever made. unanimous dissent. apf not transparent, mayor's community input council has failed. in a functioning democracy, doing this would be political suicide.
237		1			district 5 resident, georgia state student. came to share a queer history. has never met his uncle bc he died of AIDS in the 80s. There have been threats against queer events that have forced them to shut down. queer people are afraid but will be here
238		1			not here to insult them, etc. professional archaeologist. definitely bulldozing over native american sites. very likely unmarked graves on prison farm land. if he had done phase 1 survey he would have been fired. send back to committee. risks history beyond everything else mentioned.
239		1			district 5 resident, atl resident for 20 years. we're tired. "please surprise me."
240		1			another 20 year resident. quotes a councilmember from yesterday. professional musician, it has brought him in contact with a lot of people. only ones in support stand to benefit financially. please move vote back to committee or vote no.
241		1			felt good when AC came back on. now imagine the heat 10 years from now. choosing to deny futures to people you don't even know. do you have the essence in you to touch love? are you jealous of the love we have? love is stronger than fear and that will always win.
242		1			parents are immigrants, they're scared of government. already broke promises to police, fire, and residents. all agreed this process was not transparent. "your hands are not tied, you are the rope." cites ordinances saying to take it back to committee or put it to a public vote.
243		1			thank you to all council members who vote against cop city. no comment session should last this long. could have conducted this meeting remotely.
244		1			send back to committee, we all know this is wrong to some extent. police don't really help. should require more school. relating to crying about forest they used to play in being cut down as a kid. the forest/water remembers. "the trees sing to us and I think we should listen." thanks the people who actually looked the min the eyes
245		1			district 4 therapist. addresses former entrenchment creek cochair who got their position in part due to that. thanks the members who have been sympathetic. advocates for allocating funds to a mutual aid center
246		1			social worker, life coach. envision what we want. tells council to imagine what it would be like if they did vote against it. gives them a sample speech/PR. out of time on climate and justice.
247		1			cops said they were tired, didn't wanna be here. GO HOME. police/prisons do not keep us safe, we do. ample evidence, peer reviewed studies. lists names of people who have been killed by police for rest of time. it's such a long list. [chants of viva viva tortugita]
248		1			adds to end of previous person's list with lashawn thomas [eaten by bedbugs in dekalb jail]. his dad is in dekalb jail, hungry and itchy
249		1			veteran. toured in afghanistan, didn't see any tanks (responding to cm comment about how can police be militarized without tanks). military was pretty militarized
250		1			meeting people's needs is not councl's goal. primary goal filling pockets of rich, etc. money should go to people's needs, not a war machine. purpose is to put down movements. why the urgency for this but not other things? the more you try to repress movement, the more it will grow. free them all and drop the charges [starts stop cop city chant]
251					[completes list of additional speakers] [committee of whole officially ended]