(PHOTOS) Clergy call on city of Atlanta to stop ‘Cop City’ construction
Rev. Keyanna Jones delivers letters signed by faith leaders to the Atlanta City Council expressing their moral stance against the destruction of the South River Forest and the construction of Cop City on Monday, March 6, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Atlanta, GA — On Monday, March 6, faith leaders and members of the clergy, both local and from across the country, held a press conference on the Mitchell Street side of Atlanta City Hall to call on Mayor Andre Dickens and the Atlanta City Council l to stop the destruction of the South River Forest for the construction of a police training center.
The activists also called for the cancelation of a lease to the Atlanta Police Foundation for use of the property. The training center has been dubbed “cop city” by activists.
The press conference was followed by a march to the front of city hall, where the Faith Coalition attended the Atlanta City Council meeting to deliver signed letters from Faith Leaders expressing their moral stance against the destruction of the South River Forest and the construction of Cop City.
Rev. Keyanna Jones, who spoke during the press conference and delivered the letters to the city council, told Decaturish, “We are here today standing as clergy members and spiritual leaders in our communities to let the mayor of Atlanta and the city council know that the people who we represent and the people who are parishioners do not want Cop City. We stand with them because we know that Cop City will cause adverse circumstances in our communities, and we want to make sure that the people who love us and who we love are able to thrive in a community that is free of state-sanctioned violence.”
Rev. Keyanna Jones, an interfaith leader from DeKalb County, speaks during a Faith Coalition led press conference at Atlanta City Hall on Monday, March 6, 2023, calling on Mayor Andre Dickens and the City Council to stop Cop City and cancel the lease to the Atlanta Police Foundation. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Clergy member Mekko Chebon Kernell, a traditional practitioner from the Muskogee Nation, speaks during a Faith Coalition press conference at Atlanta City Hall on Monday, March 6, 2023, calling on Mayor Andre Dickens and the City Council to stop Cop City and cancel the lease to the Atlanta Police Foundation. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Matthew Johnson, executive director of Beloved Commune Ministries (center) and other faith leaders listen as Mekko Chebon Kernell, a traditional practitioner from the Muskogee Nation speaks during a Faith Coalition press conference at Atlanta City Hall on Monday, March 6, 2023, calling on Mayor Andre Dickens and the City Council to stop Cop City and cancel the lease to the Atlanta Police Foundation. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Rev. Darci Jaret, a pastor at Park Avenue Baptist Church in Grant Park speaks during a Faith Coalition press conference at Atlanta City Hall on Monday, March 6, 2023, calling on Mayor Andre Dickens and the City Council to stop Cop City and cancel the lease to the Atlanta Police Foundation. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Faith leaders and members of the Atlanta area clergy hold a press conference at Atlanta City Hall on Monday, March 6, 2023, calling on Mayor Andre Dickens and the City Council to stop Cop City and cancel the lease to the Atlanta Police Foundation. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Baptist minister Rev. Leo Seyij reads a statement to the city of Atlanta during a Faith Coalition press conference at Atlanta City Hall on Monday, March 6, 2023, calling on Mayor Andre Dickens and the City Council to stop Cop City and cancel the lease to the Atlanta Police Foundation. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Matthew Johnson, executive director of Beloved Commune Ministries speaks during a Faith Coalition press conference at Atlanta City Hall on Monday, March 6, 2023, calling on Mayor Andre Dickens and the City Council to stop Cop City and cancel the lease to the Atlanta Police Foundation. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Faith leaders and members of the clergy hold signs during a press conference at Atlanta City Hall on Monday, March 6, 2023, calling on Mayor Andre Dickens and the City Council to stop Cop City and cancel the lease to the Atlanta Police Foundation. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Taylor Jordan, (left) co-founder of Mosaic Interfaith Group listens to speaker Matthew Johnson, executive director of Beloved Commune Ministries during a Faith Coalition press conference at Atlanta City Hall on Monday, March 6, 2023, calling on Mayor Andre Dickens and the City Council to stop Cop City and cancel the lease to the Atlanta Police Foundation. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Rev. Keyanna Jones, an interfaith leader from DeKalb County who was said she was born and raised in East Atlanta and lives behind the proposed Cop City location led a coalition of clergy and faith leaders in a press conference at Atlanta City Hall and the delivery of signed letters to Atlanta City Council on Monday, March 6, 2023, expressing the coalition’s moral stance against the destruction of the South River Forest and the construction of Cop City. Photo by Dean Hesse.
A Native supporter holds a sign during a Faith Coalition press conference at Atlanta City Hall on Monday, March 6, 2023, calling on Mayor Andre Dickens and the City Council to stop Cop City and cancel the lease to the Atlanta Police Foundation. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Supporters hold signs during a Faith Coalition press conference at Atlanta City Hall on Monday, March 6, 2023, calling on Mayor Andre Dickens and the City Council to stop Cop City and cancel the lease to the Atlanta Police Foundation. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Rev. Keyanna Jones, (left) an interfaith leader from DeKalb County and Rev. Ashley Robinson, pastor of Oakhurst Baptist Church in Decatur, sing and march arm and arm on Monday, March 6, 2023, to deliver letters signed by faith leaders to the Atlanta City Council expressing their moral stance against the destruction of the South River Forest and the construction of Cop City. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Rev. Keyanna Jones, (left) and Rev. Leo Seyij enter Atlanta City Hall on Monday, March 6, 2023, to deliver letters signed by faith leaders to the City Council expressing their moral stance against the destruction of the South River Forest and the construction of Cop City. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Rev. Keyanna Jones waits in Council Chambers to deliver letters signed by faith leaders to the Atlanta City Council expressing their moral stance against the destruction of the South River Forest and the construction of Cop City on Monday, March 6, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
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