By Jozsef Papp
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ATLANTA — Atlanta officials allege a series of incidents, including a fire at an Atlanta Police Department facility over the Fourth of July weekend, were committed by a group of “dangerous and violent criminals” who oppose the planned Atlanta public safety training center.
“The people who committed this violence, whoever they may be, are not peaceful dissenters. These are the actions of blatantly outrageous, dangerous and violent criminals. When you engage in violence, you put others in harm’s way,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said. “We will not allow anyone to do that in our city without repercussions.”
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said a “small, determined group” is behind a fire that destroyed eight department motorcycles about 2:30 a.m. at the old Atlanta Police Training Academy on Southside Industrial Parkway.
Atlanta Fire Chief Rod Smith said his department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the incident as an arson as authorities found incendiary devices at the scene.
There were 40 motorcycles outside the building, which now houses the special operations precinct.
“Had all those vehicles caught on fire, that police facility would have been greatly damaged, if not destroyed in the fire,” Schierbaum said.
An hour before the fire, Schierbaum said, windows were broken from patrol vehicles at a precinct on Memorial Drive. Someone saw that incident and alerted authorities, he said.
Officials say whoever broke the windows and torched the motorcycles also set ablaze equipment belonging to a contractor involved in the planned facility on Tuesday morning.
“We know from the postings of this group, their intent to stop the public safety training center has left the democratic process of the city council and is now moving to intimidate and force out contractors that are committed to building the public safety training center,” Schierbaum said.
In a post claiming responsibility for the destruction of the equipment, a protest group said, “we will wage a campaign of violence and destruction on any and all contractors” who participate in the project. Other posts claim responsibility for other vandalism of property belonging to contractors.
“This effort of fear is not going to succeed,” Schierbaum said.
Construction of the $90 million facility is expected to take another two years, with Schierbaum expecting the department to move into the facility by December 2024. Opponents have vowed to continue protests and demonstrations.
Dickens said his administration respects the rights of people to demonstrate and protest peacefully but allege there are individuals who are “hiding in the middle of peaceful protests” and inciting violence.
“These individuals, these arsonists, these criminals are alongside peaceful protestors and sometimes the peaceful protestors are aware of it, sometimes they are not,” Dickens said.
Organizers are collecting more than 70,000 signatures from Atlanta voters in the hopes of putting the planned training center on the November ballot.
“I don’t personally believe they are going to be successful,” Dickens said. “The referendum process is one that is legally documented, is in the city code and anybody can attempt to get the petition going and get the necessary signatures. We ask that they do so with honesty and truth, collect the signatures with real people, sharing the truth about what they are looking to do.”
The Atlanta Police Department is offering a $10,000 reward for anyone with information about the fire on Saturday and the other incidents. ATF has added a $5,000 reward.
“We have made other arrests from this exact same group; they will not escape law enforcement. This is a group who is on borrowed time and soon they will be held accountable and Atlanta will see who has been threatening their city and harming their first responder network,” Schierbaum said. “This is a very small group, the facts will lead us where it leads us but there is indication this was likely committed by the exact individuals.”
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