In Georgia, prosecutors have charged 23 forest defenders with “domestic terrorism” after their arrests late Sunday at a festival near the site of Cop City, a massive police training facility being built in the Weelaunee Forest. The arrests followed clashes between police and protesters on Sunday afternoon. On Monday, Atlanta interfaith clergy members joined activists calling on Mayor Andre Dickens and other city officials to cancel the $90 million Cop City project.

Rev. Leo Seyij Allen: “To ignore the cries of residents, the city of Atlanta moves to destroy the nation’s largest urban forest and replace it with the largest militarized police training facility in North America. … And may I add that in the face of the violent raid that took place last night as city residents gathered in solidarity to defend this forest, that is an example of the militarization that we are calling out.”