(PHOTOS) Emory University students protest ‘Cop City’
Students chant during a rally at Emory University to protest the construction of Atlanta’s planned public safety training center. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Atlanta, GA — On Monday, April 24, dozens of Emory University students rallied on the campus quad to protest the construction of Atlanta’s public safety training center, called “Cop City” by its detractors.
Rally organizer Jaanaki Radhakrishnan, a first-year student, told Decaturish, “We’re out here today as students of Emory to call for this university to condemn the development of Cop City and do everything in its power to make sure that Cop City is never built. We, as Emory students, recognize the harm of militarized policing in this country. We recognize the vitality of the Weelaunee Forest and why it is essential that we do everything we can to protest it. We also recognize our position of privilege as students at an incredibly influential institution. We feel responsibility to use that position in order to uplift the voices of the Atlanta community who are calling for justice.”
Radhakrishnan said students are demanding university president Gregory L. Fenves step down from the board of the Atlanta Committee for Progress (a partnership between the city’s top CEO’s, civic and academic leaders, and the mayor of Atlanta) and condemn the development of Cop City, full transparency from the university as to its investments and any ties to the development of Cop City and for the university to use its position of power to make a formal statement condemning the development of Cop City.
Students gave out free T-shirts during a rally at Emory University’s quad to protest the construction of Atlanta’s planned public safety training center. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Emory University students protest the construction of Atlanta’s planned public safety training center on Monday, April 24, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Students hold protest signs during a rally at Emory University against the construction of Atlanta’s planned public safety training center. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Emory University students rally on the campus quad to protest the construction of Atlanta’s planned public safety training center. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Emory University students hang a banner on a tree during a rally on the campus quad to protest the construction of Atlanta’s planned public safety training center. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Students create art during a rally at Emory University to protest the construction of Atlanta’s planned public safety training center. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Emory University students gather on the campus quad during a rally to protest the construction of Atlanta’s planned public safety training center. “This is our own version of the living room, which is something that forest defenders in the Weelaunee Forest did in the past. We are basically just coming together, building community and taking up space, reminding the university that we are not going anywhere until Cop City is stopped,” Rally organizer Jaanaki Radhakrishnan said. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Dozens of Emory University students rallied on the campus quad to protest the construction of Atlanta’s planned public safety training center. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Students make signs during a rally at Emory University to protest the construction of Atlanta’s planned public safety training center. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Students hold signs in front of the administration building during a rally at Emory University to protest the construction of Atlanta’s planned public safety training center. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Organizer Jaanaki Radhakrishnan, (left) a first-year student, leads a chant during a rally at Emory University to protest the construction of Atlanta’s planned public safety training center. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Rev. Keyanna Jones, a leader in the Stop Cop City movement and resident of the community near the planned public safety training center, speaks to students during a rally at Emory University to protest the construction of the center. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Senior Whittika Chaplet speaks during a rally at the Emory University quad to protest the construction of Atlanta’s planned public safety training center. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Siblings Kheyal Roy-Meighoo (left,) a senior, and Koan Roy-Meighoo, a sophomore, play music during a rally at the Emory University quad to protest construction of Atlanta’s planned public safety training center. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Abundia, of the Nahuatl people and a leader in the Stop Cop City movement, stands under a banner hung by students on the quad at Emory University during a rally to protest the construction of Atlanta’s planned public safety training center. “There is so much happiness today in me even though I’m still mourning the loss of my friend (Tortuguita), and I am now sure that Cop City won’t be built,” Abundia said. “It is now a lot of local people. We’ve always been having local people but now we are expanding and focusing on the leadership, especially of Black people, which is a great, great thing. I am very hopeful for the future of the movement beyond stopping Cop City.“ Photo by Dean Hesse.
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