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It was announced yesterday on September 5th, that sixty-one activists and organizers in Atlanta, Georgia are being indicted on Racketeering and conspiracy charges under the same statute and Grand Jury that recently indicted Donald Trump, under the RICO Act of Georgia. They are being tried for preventing the construction and development of Cop City, supposedly, which even if that were really what was behind this all, can be clearly seen as something that many around the world can and do support preventing or ceasing any and all development of.
But many differences here are clear to point out between the cases of these sixty-one people, and the clique with Trump.
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When we look at the cases and the actual developments of these two cases, we see glaring differences in the way they've been treated, the conditions they're expecting to endure, and the way in which their cases are being handled. Trump and his clique are essentially being given a spanking by the State, as fellow members of the Ruling Class. Whereas in the case of the people in Atlanta, it is the State cracking down on the right of human beings to stand up for themselves and defend themselves.
In the case of Trump and his cohorts, their legal team has asked for renovations on possible locations Trump and others might "stay" in; their finances of course allow them to hire some of the best legal teams as possible; Their cases are covered as if it is a national television series, like a movie, as is everything Trump does; and Trump is being tried with a series of cohorts, but, the system at large that supports him and that he benefits from is being left at bay, as will (likely) their collective riches. The actions committed by Trump and those who acted with him were purely for self-aggrandizement, opportunism, and more wealth-accumulation.
The folks in Atlanta however are fighting for an end to capitalist exploitation and police brutality, an inherently human and collective objective, not an opportunistic, individualist one, and certainly not a criminal act. In the case of the 61 activists, their politics are being used as the main source of illegality. A clear example that the right-wing is left alone, or if tried, handled with lovingly care - we've seen how the Jan 6th folks have been "dealt with" - but when it comes to the Left, there is no such mercy, not for the Stop Cop City organizers, and not for anyone.
This is a political trial which is an attack on an entire movement, not simply just these individuals.
In the case of these individuals, many of these folks and their organizations do not have the funds to afford lawyers, or bail; they are not being given their choice of places to stay, they are not able to suggest renovations; some of them have previous arrests used as lofty evidence to make them guilty until proven innocent, rather than the other way around; they are being made an example of, similarly to the raid of the Atlanta Solidarity fund organizers' homes, and the homes of the African People's Socialist Party, the Uhuru 3.
Of course, also, we can lift up that the Atlanta Police have already killed one organizer, Tortuguita, and have not been taken to justice by the State, and they likely won't ever be. Yet in the case of these sixty-one people here in Atlanta we see a full frontal attack on people- conscious, organized citizens acting on the behalf of an entire population, who are being attacked as racketeers, conspirators, and terrorists, with no evidence of the sort.
They acted on behalf of the masses of oppressed people, and have been attacked and slandered, and now indicted by a Grand Jury. So, what is happening?
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The indictment is a 109-page list of bullshit, but one we should read carefully as it signals to the entire movement a forward attack by the State against the most advanced and organized groups in society, and against conscious citizens, even those who don't belong to any group or formation. The statement begins with a political analysis of the movement, which, to me, almost reads like an endorsement of the activities and philosophies, until it begins to expand on the States own ideas, laws, and impending action.
Beginning with the charge of "Racketeering" under the illustrious RICO Act, which states that anyone can be tried for acts deemed "illegal" or "criminal" by the US-Empire by engaging in "enterprises" or as an enterprise, themselves (an individual) the State deems as criminal. It goes on to describe what such "enterprise" the Defend Atlanta Forest movement has conducted, such as mutual aid, camping out in the forest, and "spreading anarchistic ideals". This charge does not require evidentiary acts or past crimes, it does not require an extended pattern of criminal activity, and the minimal consequences that can be received are 5 years in prison (after which only the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles can wave, not even the governor), and $25,000 fines.
This is an attack on the resources, organizations, and most experienced in the movements across the country. This is being done in order to drain us, demoralize us, and hold us down in trials like they did to the Panthers and BLA, among others, in the 70s and 80s. We cannot let this happen!
The indictment claims that the 61 ridiculously accused (my words) had been acting and "developing their enterprise" since the day that George Floyd was killed in 2020 - aka, before Cop City was announced - and were organizing to "unlawfully" engage in things such as Mutual Aid, Fundraising, occupation of the Forest, prevention of construction, and again, "promoting anarchist ideals".
The political attacks continue.
The document goes directly into a description of Anarchism to set an emotion and tempo straightaway. It states at the very top things like, "anarchy is a philosophy opposed to forms of authority or hierarchy", "the notion of anarchy, being grounded in an anti-authority mindset, primarily targets government because it views government as unnecessarily oppressive...", and then an odd one but nevertheless laying the way for more political tirades, "some of the major ideas that anarchists promote is collectivism, mutualism/mutual aid, and social solidarity, and these same ideas are frequently seen in the Defend Atlanta Forest movement.'"
They then go on to "explain" the Defend the Atlanta Forest movement as an "anti-police and environmental activism organization" that "coordinates, advertises, and conducts 'direct action' designed to prevent the construction of the Atlanta Police Public Safety Training Center (Cop City), and Shadowbox Studios (previously known as Black Hall Studios) and promote anarchist ideas. This self-proclaimed 'direct action' has included vandalizing private property, arson, destruction of government property, attacks on utility workers, attacks on law enforcement, attacks on private citizens, and gun violence. The purpose of these actions is to prevent the construction of [Cop City] and a movie studio (!!! the horror!!!), all while promoting anarchist ideals." The clear politicization of these individuals shows that in fact this is not a criminal trial at all, but an intentional attack on the people's natural right to dissent and organization against a tyrannical and oppressive government. We do not need to mince words, because we can be clear and honest, the attacks on the activists in Atlanta is a part of a pattern of behavior and actions that has been ongoing for 500 years. The US is an always has been a settler-colonial empire built on the graves and enslavement of Indigenous nations, Africans, and others across the globe; it is an Empire built on napalm, nuclear warfare, and other forms of inhuman destruction of land, water, air, and all living creatures here on Earth.
The US has no moral, legal, or other right to try these folks or anyone. They occupy land illegally and have committed genocide; they overthrew dozens of governments in East Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and Africa; the enslaved the African continent; they have destroyed, rebuilt, and destroyed again the Third World through not only weapons like bombs, but loans, food aid, and medical and intellectual property laws, which impoverish nations beyond repair. The US breaks almost every international Law and Statute on the rights of human beings to self-determination, self-defense, and continues to break laws regarding warfare, such as their recent sending of depleted uranium rounds to Ukraine.
We must stand and fight! We have all the grounds to defend ourselves and those under attack. If one person anywhere is incarcerated, indicted, and attacked, none of us are free. Until we are all free, none of us can be.
Onward my friends, connect with the Community Movement Builders, Defend Atlanta Forest, Atlanta Solidarity Fund and others. Connect with those facing charges, write them, show up for them, send money if you can, and go in person if you can. It is our right as human beings to demand dignity, decency, life, and freedom, and to fight like hell for them!
Free ALL political prisoners!
As Fred Hampton said, "We say 'Peace!' to all those willing to fight for it!"