[Full Picture] ‘Cop City’ protest lawyers challenge use of domestic terrorism statute | Georgia

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‘Cop City’ protest lawyers challenge use of domestic terrorism statute | Georgia | The Guardian

Source: theguardian.com

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Article summary:

1. Attorneys representing an activist arrested while protesting against the building of “Cop City” in Georgia have launched a legal challenge to the use of a state domestic terrorism statute against protests, claiming an “act of free speech” is being unconstitutionally targeted.

2. Police staged a Swat-style raid on Wednesday on the Atlanta Solidarity Fund (ASF), arresting three of its members who were charged with financial crimes, including money laundering and “charity fraud”.

3. The arrests are “unprecedented” in the history of such funds in the US, which are “central to the notion of the rule of law” and have existed at least a century, said Jocelyn Simonson, a Brooklyn Law School professor.

Article analysis:

The Guardian reports on a legal challenge to the use of a state domestic terrorism statute against protesters in Georgia. Attorneys representing an activist arrested while protesting against the building of “Cop City” have filed a writ of habeas corpus challenging the constitutionality of the 2017 domestic terrorism statute that has been used against activists and their supporters. The petition argues that “attempting by word or expressive action to alter, change, or coerce government policy is a quintessential act of free speech”, and that the protest was constitutionally protected. The article also reports on the unprecedented arrests of organizers at a bail and legal defense fund that has helped some of the people arrested while protesting against Cop City. The fund, operating in Atlanta since 2017, has helped some of the 42 protesters so far facing charges linked to protests against Cop City, nearly all of whom have been bailed out. The article notes concerns from civil rights experts about the arrests being used to crack down on lawful protests.

The article appears to be well-sourced and provides detailed information about events related to Cop City and its opponents in Georgia. However, it is possible that there may be biases present in the reporting due to its focus on one side of the issue (the protesters) and lack of representation from those who support Cop City. Additionally, some claims made in the article are unsupported or unexplored further, such as allegations made by Georgia’s attorney general Chris Carr and governor Brian Kemp that those arrested were involved in “domestic terrorism”. The DHS itself debunked this claim in January but it is not clear whether this was communicated to Carr or Kemp before they made their statements.

Overall, while providing valuable information about events related to Cop City and its opponents in Georgia, readers should approach this article with caution and seek out additional sources for a more balanced perspective on this issue.

Topics for further research:

What is Cop City and why is it controversial in Georgia? What is the 2017 domestic terrorism statute in Georgia and how has it been used against protesters? What is a writ of habeas corpus and how does it challenge the constitutionality of the domestic terrorism statute? Who supports the building of Cop City and what are their arguments? What are the concerns of civil rights experts regarding the arrests of organizers at the bail and legal defense fund? What is the response of the Georgia government to the legal challenge and the arrests of protesters and organizers?