August 15th 2023.
The "Stop Cop City" activists in Atlanta have had yet another victory. According to Rough Draft Atlanta, a federal judge has denied the city's appeal to pause the referendum petition drive. The Vote to Stop Cop City coalition is now close to reaching their goal of 80,000 signatures, which is more than the original goal of 70,000 announced at the start of the campaign in June.
U.S. District Court Judge Mark H. Cohen made the decision in response to a lawsuit filed by DeKalb County residents who were claiming their First Amendment rights were being violated due to the city's requirements. In his order, Cohen said that the city's concerns about the potential invalidity of the petition were no different than what would have happened without the injunction.
The referendum would give city residents the chance to vote on the repeal of the ordinance authorizing the leased property to house the Atlanta Police Foundation training center. The coalition group plans to keep collecting signatures until they reach 100,000. The petition is due to the city on August 21, which is the deadline for the referendum to appear on the November ballot.
Fox News reported that organizers only needed 58,203 signatures by August 14 to qualify for the ballot, but they are setting a higher goal in order to account for any disqualified signatures. The activists fear that the training center will lead to greater conflicts between the police and the Black community.
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