For Immediate Release: June 2nd, 2023
Media Contact: media@colorofchange.org
Color Of Change Condemns Arrest and Incarceration of Atlanta Solidarity Fund Members. Arrest of People Who Organize Legal Funds for Protestors is Unprecedented and Undemocratic
NATIONWIDE – Ahead of Monday, June 5th’s full Atlanta City Council vote to approve an additional $31 million towards the development of the militarized training facility otherwise known as “Cop City,” Michael Collins, Senior Director of Government Affairs at Color Of Change issued the following statement:
“Color Of Change stands in solidarity with the three Cop City community defenders of the Atlanta Solidarity Fund who have been unjustly charged with money laundering and charity fraud. This blatant attack is not only an assault on their individual rights, but also on the entire criminal justice reform movement, aimed at silencing those who fight for justice and true public safety. Cop City represents a misguided approach to safety that diverts resources from much needed community investments that are evidenced to improve communities’ safety and health — and instead perpetrates a culture of militarized policing and mass criminalization.
Rather than directing funds towards initiatives that address the root causes of crime, support mental health services, or invest in education and social programs, corporate sponsors like Cadence Bank, Coca Cola, Target, and more corporate entities are funneling their money and resources into a militarized training facility that will inevitably disproportionately put Black and low-income Atlantans in harm’s way. The commitment to expand militarized, carceral infrastructure as opposed to community-based solutions reinforces a confrontational and adversarial relationship between law enforcement and the communities they are meant to serve — clearly shown from the current Cop City protesters facing unjust charges. We demand for DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston to demonstrate a commitment to justice and support the voices of the community by dropping charges against the Atlanta Solidarity Fund Three, and all other protestors. In the face of the public safety threat posed by Cop City, it is imperative that we safeguard our democracy by standing in solidarity with constituents whose democratic right to protest and organize has been persistently violated.”
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About Color Of Change
Color Of Change is the nation’s largest online racial justice organization. We help people respond effectively to injustice in the world around us. As a national online force driven by over 7 million members, we move decision-makers in corporations and governments to create a more human and less hostile world for Black people in America. Visit www.colorofchange.org.