Two individuals who were refusing to leave a Home Depot were arrested Thursday, according to the Atlanta Police Department (APD).
“On June 29, 2023, officers monitoring a gathering of demonstrators at 650 Ponce De Leon Ave. NE detained two suspects who were refusing to leave private property. The suspects were detained after being given opportunities to leave. The two detainees were identified as Lorraine Fontana (4/1947) and Taylor Jordan (4/1997). Both were placed under arrest for Criminal Trespass,” APD wrote in a press release.
The arrested individuals were protesting against the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center in unincorporated DeKalb County, dubbed ‘Cop City.’ The training center has been a source of controversy ever since its approval by the Atlanta City Council in September 2021.
This is how they’re treating an elderly woman who has been fighting for justice for decades. This is an outrage and Lorraine and the other arrestee must be released IMMEDIATELY https://t.co/H1iNY3Qr0z pic.twitter.com/yy9b4xMtoG
— #StopCopCity 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸 (@micahinATL) June 29, 2023
Fontana was described by one Twitter commenter as a “longtime and deeply beloved activist,” who added that the arrest of Fontana was “fascism.”
Thursday’s demonstration at Home Depot was part of a string of protests planned by activists with the group Defend the Atlanta Forest, which previously announced that a “Week of Action” would take place from June 24-July 1 in the Atlanta area to protest against the training center.
In preparation for the group’s planned protests, APD wrote in a Facebook post at the time, “The Atlanta Police Department respects, supports, and upholds the First Amendment rights of all citizens and those in Atlanta to assemble, speak, and engage in peaceful protest. At the same time, we must ensure compliance with our city ordinances and a safe public environment for all residents and visitors.”
On Wednesday, as previously reported by The Georgia Star News, one individual was arrested for throwing spoiled meat at Atlanta officers during a protest at Cadence Bank, which has been reported to have loaned money to the Atlanta Police Foundation to help build the public safety training center.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Georgia Star News and The Star News Network.
Photo “Lorraine Fontana” by #StopCopCity.
