Last Tuesday, Atlanta mayor Andre Dickens announced plans to move forward with the proposal to build Cop City despite ongoing opposition from the local community and after police killed environmental activist Manuel Teran AKA Tortuguita. 

Environmentalists, local activists, college students, and parks advocates have pointed to their worries of the environmental impact on clearing this forest. And they’ve cited growing fears of police violence as issues of police brutality and police accountability plague our day-to-day lives.

And while pursuing cop city may seem like an unprecedented policy endeavor in the history of policing and public safety, it is actually not the first time the U.S. government has taken such measures. The documentary film Riotsville USA on Hulu illuminates this history, and it explores the decades-long project to militarize U.S. law enforcement and crush opposition to the state.

 Before the idea of cop city came to be, following the Civil Rights Movement and rebellion in the late 60s, the U.S. government helped create “mock cities” where they were trained to use the same crowd control tactics police use on protests today. Sierra Pettengill, director and filmmaker of the documentary joins us to discuss how Riotsville, USA set the stage for an endeavor like cop city. 

The State of Georgia has charged 19 protestors with domestic terrorism- at least 9 are accused of nothing more than trespassing. We also speak with Lauren Regan, executive director of the Civil Liberties Defense Center, who will represent some of the protestors charged with "domestic terrorism."

To keep up with our coverage of cop city, check out some of our other segments.