More than five dozen individuals were arraigned on Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) charges on Monday as part of a racketeering case tied to an alleged criminal conspiracy related to protests of Atlanta’s new Public Safety Training Center.
The 61 activists were indicted in September as charging documents claimed an organized criminal effort to derail the police and public safety training facility began as early as 2020, as previously reported by The Georgia Star News.
All but four defendants were present at the Fulton County Courthouse on Monday, according to Fox 5 Atlanta. Those present waived arraignment and, as noted by the outlet, the judge said final plea hearings will “happen sometime in May or June 2024” as attorneys must first go through 5 terabytes of data related to the case.
Protesters took to the streets outside of the Fulton County Courthouse in support of the defendants being arraigned inside. Video outside of the courthouse shows activists holding signs that read, “Stop political prosecution,” “Stop cop city,” “Hands off the 61,” “Drop RICO or we’ll be nasty,” and “Cop city will never be built.”
The case is prosecuted by Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, who took over prosecution duties after DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston withdrew her office from prosecuting any cases related to the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.
“While the District Attorney has decided to no longer assist in this case, our office is fully committed to moving forward with the prosecution of those who have engaged in or supported violent acts surrounding the Public Safety Training Center,” Carr said in a statement at the time. “If you shoot police officers, throw Molotov cocktails at law enforcement, vandalize private homes and businesses, and set fire to police vehicles and offices, you will be held accountable. We will not waver when it comes to keeping Georgians safe and putting a stop to violent crime in our state.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Georgia Star News and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Stop Cop City Protest” by StopCop.City.
