Georgia’s Republican Attorney General, Chris Carr, announced on Tuesday that he is pursuing racketeering-related charges against more than 60 left-wing protesters who have been involved in violent activities aimed at obstructing the construction of a police training facility near Atlanta.
The construction of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, commonly referred to as “Cop City” by anti-police activists, has faced ongoing disruptions and occupations by leftist groups seeking to halt its development.
In accordance with Georgia’s racketeering laws, Carr has characterized these individuals as “militant anarchists.” It’s worth noting that these are the same laws employed by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis in her indictment of former President Donald Trump and 18 others, accusing them of attempting to overturn the 2020 election. While some may view Carr’s actions as a response to Willis’s prosecutions, the charges stem from alleged conspiracy to obstruct the training center’s construction, as well as involvement in violent acts, intimidation, and property destruction.
The anarchists have targeted various aspects of the facility, including a police vehicle in July, along with attacks on construction equipment and arson incidents, including one in March. These disruptions have persisted since construction began in 2021, as reported by the Associated Press.
“Carr cited the instances of violence and intimidation as his rationale for going after the individuals he said were behind it,” the Western Journal noted, adding: “Defendants include more than three dozen people who have previously been charged with domestic terrorism and other acts in connection to the violent protests and riots at or near the training center.”
Furthermore, it’s worth mentioning that three leaders of the resistance movement are now facing money laundering charges, as reported in the aforementioned accounts. The inclusion of these additional RICO charges has the potential to extend the length of any eventual conviction and subsequent sentence.
Earlier in the year, Carr made it clear via social media that he was fully prepared to employ the full extent of legal measures to address the acts of anarchy.
“We are not Oregon. We are not California. We are not Washington. You cannot come to our state, break our laws, throw rocks at buildings, damage property, and shoot police officers,” he wrote as he shared a Fox News story regarding the ongoing violence against the facility. “You can and you will be charged, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”
We are not Oregon. We are not California. We are not Washington.
You cannot come to our state, break our laws, throw rocks at buildings, damage property, and shoot police officers.
You can and you will be charged, and that’s exactly what we’re doing. https://t.co/nYMJEYo4vV
— GA AG Chris Carr (@Georgia_AG) January 24, 2023
