#forest defenders

[kropotkindersurprise]

March 5, 2023 - Hundreds of forest defenders chased away police from a security post in Weelaunee Forest at the construction site of Cop City. The activists burned security and construction equipment and destroyed infrastructure. Thirty-five people were arrested by police, you can donate to the Atlanta Solidarity Fund to help them out. [video]/[video]/[video]

[probablyasocialecologist]

The report suggests that Manuel, who was killed during a clearing operation near the site for the future Atlanta police training facility, was in a seated position, “cross-legged,” with their hands showing “exit wounds” in both palms at the time of their death.

“What did we learn from this autopsy? Manuel was shot in the head through his right eye, in his left upper chest, his legs, through the abdomen and several times through the palms,” their legal team said.

“Manuel was looking death in the face, hands raised, when killed,” said Brian Spears, an attorney for Teran’s family.

[...]

“Protests by non-locals are inherently terrorism,” Second-in-command Atlanta Police Department Assistant Chief Carven Tyus was recently quoted as saying of the protesters.

[decolonize-the-left]

The tree cutting has started

How to help:

Support the work of the Forest Justice Defense Fund a broad coalition dedicated to saving the Atlanta Forest by donating here

The Atlanta Solidarity Fund bails out activists who are arrested for participating in social justice movements, and helps them get access to lawyers. Donate here

You can donate to the lawsuit challenging the Dekalb County movie studio land swap here

Call Brasfield & Gorrie (678.581.6400), the Atlanta Police Foundation (770.354.3392), and the City of Atlanta (404.330.6100) and ask them to cancel the project and to remain peaceful with tree-sitters and other on-the-ground protesters

You can organize protests, send phone calls or emails, or help with direct actions of different kinds to encourage contractors of the various projects to stop the destruction. You can find some of the contractors here: stopreevesyoung.com

You can form an Action Group in your community, neighborhood, town, city, college, or scene. Together, you can host information nights, movie screenings, potluck dinners, and protests at the offices of contractors, at the homes of the board members, on campus, or elsewhere. You can post and pass out fliers at public places and shows, knock on doors to talk to neighbors and sign them up for text alerts, fundraisers, or actions, or you can innovate new activities altogether.

If you want to protest like the French NOW is the time to show that you will support and protect people on the Frontline!!

These protesters are protecting ALL of us after all! Cop city will be a training ground for police across the USA.

Let's show them our gratitude and give them that spark of morale that solidarity and support brings.

[nando161mando]

Yesterday, water protectors and forest defenders shut down construction against the Mountain Valley Pipeline in #Appalachia.

[muffinlevelchicanery]

@sarah_epperson on Insta

[commiepinkofag]

[a-queer-seminarian]

A prayer after City Council voted "Yes" to Cop City (again).

Spirit of Life, God of the Oppressed,

To you we uplift our lament against city powers that fail to hear their people’s cry — that pile evil after evil upon our backs.

With your prophets of old we shout till we are hoarse: God, how long?? How long must we witness violence? How long till justice rolls?

O God whose wrath is reserved for unjust powers,

Be present with us in our righteous rage. May it be a shield between us and despair.

Help us mold this white-hot wrath into a tool that we wield against our oppressors — the foes of the forest — and not against each other.

May our lament ring out across the land. Let all who deal in violence hear it and tremble. Let it shake the calloused hearts of all who collude with evil.

May our lament echo across the nations. Let it summon support from far and wide.

And when human powers cry “peace!” when they are the reason there is no peace, let all remember that Forest Defenders did all they could to save this sacred land through peace.

Let them remember it was not us who chose violence, who cut off all alternatives.

God-with-us, bless

the feet that stood in a winding line for hours the hands that doled out food to hungry bodies the arms that held their comrades close the voices raised all through the night for justice.

It was not in vain. It was not in vain. It was not in vain.

Spirit of Transformation, rushing wind

Who shakes us out of despair’s stagnation and fills us with the courage to persist,

remind us that our hope was never in unjust powers but in each other.

Revitalize us for another day of making good trouble until this land knows peace — the true peace, which comes only after justice has been achieved for all creatures.

Amen.

[thatwitchybitchandco]

Phone zap for Atlanta Forest Defenders!

[nerdalmighty]

"Oh, how terribly unfortunate."

Haley Joel Osment guest stars as Raxlo in "Forest Defenders" on Young Jedi Adventures

[antifa-terra]

Since I haven’t seen anyone here talking about it, I figured I’d help spread the news in the most tumblr way possible.

Image ID: The Destiel confession meme. Dean’s response to Castiel’s I love you is “Forest defenders in Atlanta are facing domestic terrorism charges for the crime of building treehouses and throwing rocks at heavily armed cops. You can learn more about how to help at defendtheatlantaforest.com End ID

[vampirerobot]

up with forests - down with coal (and cops)

[voiceofthesoil]

A story and helpful links to help fight against Cop-City.

[nando161mando]

"Video published yesterday showing police and gendarme attack on parliamentary Green Left Party's co-spokesperson, deputies and other forest defenders in Akbelen, SW Turkey."

[2cutte2bcis]

The Forest Speaks

This piece is in solidarity with and inspired by the ATL forest defenders. 💗🖤

[grimwomyn]

T, a beloved comrade, was arrested in Atlanta for speaking out to save the Weelaunee Forest. We are organizing this fundraiser to help her and her partner maintain housing and financial security during this time. Our goal is to provide them with the funds they need to cover two months’ rent so that they can recover, heal, and focus on fighting her charges. Any additional funds will be used to cover groceries, bills, and mental health care.

Venmo: @jayhummingbird bit.ly/SolidarityWithT

[a-queer-seminarian]

Excuse the poor quality of these photos, but I want to hype up the attention to physical & spiritual nourishment that Atlanta Forest Defenders exhibit.

Today’s a huge day for the Stop Cop City movement. We’ve been at city hall since this morning to urge the council to vote no to giving more funds to Cop City. If we can get them to vote no, construction will stop!!

We all knew it was going to be a long, long day. Sure enough, there are over 350 people here to give a comment, and we aren’t even close to halfway through yet.

So organizers made sure there was money to get food for all of us. Others walked up and down the line waiting to sign up to comment to make sure we all knew what to expect.

Others set up a “kid zone” so adults with kids could attend. (Anyone of any age is welcome to play with the legos, take a coloring page, etc!)

There’s also a rest space with cushions and spiritual tools. Nearby is a memorial to those we’ve lost to police violence — they are not forgotten; they live on in every justice movement.

Faith leaders from a variety of religions are here as “movement chaplains” to offer kindness and care to any who approach them. What a beautiful ministry 🌈

Finally, we make room for humor — we’ve got a bingo card for all these comments, which has been helping me stay attentive as the hours draw on.

There are things that could be better. I wish everyone was wearing a mask —maybe 1/4 of us are. But there are extra masks that defenders brought & left near the entrance to encourage folks to mask. There’s also chapstick, pain meds, and more.

I am grateful to the members of this movement who give of their time, talents, money, spiritual gifts, voices, and so much more. From them, I’ve come to a better understanding of what it means to feed spirits and bodies holistically.

Truly, we take care of us!!