By R.J. Rico
Associated Press
ATLANTA — Atlanta’s police chief on Tuesday urged the public to come forward with information about those who set police motorcycles on fire last month in protest over the planned construction of a public safety training center that critics call “Cop City.”
Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the vandals have been using “violence, intimidation and fear” to stop the facility’s construction, attacking police vehicles as well as contractors’ construction equipment. Authorities held a news conference to release surveillance photos of “persons of interest” and to announce that the reward for information leading to the culprits’ arrests has been increased from $15,000 to $60,000.
Schierbaum said more than 40 police vehicles were targeted at Atlanta police’s current training center in south Atlanta early July 1. Ultimately, eight motorcycles were set alight and a police officer intervened before more damage could occur, Schierbaum said.
“Had (all) these vehicles been set on fire, the entire precinct would have been ignited,” the police chief said.
About an hour before that attack, vandals had smashed the windows of police vehicles at another location. Authorities believe the group wanted to set those vehicles on fire as well but were spotted by a bystander.
Following the incident, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said in a written statement that the fire was an “outrageous and completely inexcusable” planned destruction of property that put lives and community assets in danger.
“Those are the tactics of organized criminals, not protestors, and their supporters should ask themselves if they truly want to be associated with such radical and violent people,” Kemp said. “Working with state, local, and federal law enforcement partners, we will find these criminals and bring them to justice.”
Mayor Andre Dickens and others say the planned $90 million training center would replace outdated training facilities and help address difficulties in hiring and retaining police officers that worsened after 2020’s nationwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice.