#85: Stop Cop City / Defend Weelaunee Forest, Part I: History and Analysis

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“The City in the Forest,” history & analysis of Atlanta forest defense struggle

Listen to the Episode — 82 min

Summary

The Ex-Worker is back! Episode 85 introduces the history behind the struggle to Stop Cop City and defend the Weelaunee Forest in Atlanta, Georgia. For nearly two years, a coalition of anarchists, abolitionists, environmental activists, indigenous communities, local residents, and supporters from all over has faced off against police, entertainment and construction companies, politicians, and media intent on destroying a beloved forest to build a police training compound and a film industry sound stage. Recently, the state has arrested over a dozen activists on absurd charges of “domestic terrorism,” and on January 18th, police murdered forest defender Manuel “Tortuguita” Teran. Around the US and beyond, folks are mobilizing in outrage against the killer police and the corporate and political power structures responsible for their murderous repression. In this episode, we present a long article first published in April 2022, titled The City in the Forest: Reinventing Resistance for an Age of Climate Crisis and Police Militarization, which combines a comprehensive history of the campaign to defend the forest with a strategic analysis that locates it in reference to the broader political context and other similar campaigns. Stay tuned for more coverage in Episode 86, including accounts from the forest and a solidarity statement you can sign to show support. {January 27, 2023}

Notes and Links