Stop Cop City Banner Drop

media release: In coordination with other individuals and groups, Allies for Black Lives - Madison is continuing to host a banner drop at the pedestrian bridge across East Washington near Highway 30. The third showing of the #StopCopCity banner will take place this Wednesday 8/2/23 at 4p and will recur each Wednesday at the same time throughout the summer. The event is intended to bring awareness to the planned $90 million police and fire fighter training center outside of Atlanta, Georgia. In addition to the staggering financial investment, the center would also destroy 85 acres of forest wildlife. A4BL stands with the Movement for Black Lives, the Atlanta Solidarity Fund, and many other groups calling to halt the project and to invest, instead, in measures that improve the health and safety of the Atlanta community rather than contributes to its destruction, punishment and surveillance.

We also stand in solidarity with organizers decrying the Georgia justice system's recent first amendment-crushing move to arrest 23 people and to charge them with domestic terrorism charges for their (very legal) efforts to bail other activists out of jail. Lastly, we support the calls for Justice for Tortuguita, the Cop City activist and environmentalist who was shot and killed by police while protesting. 

Nowhere in this country can we afford to tolerate these fascist moves by the state and their armed enforcers. In a country with a democracy that is already functioning in crippled capacity, liberal enclaves like Madison must step up and show that we won't tolerate either the execution of protestors nor the punishment of people exercising their constitutionally-protected rights. 

Additionally, we hope that here in Madison we can take a closer look at the role of policing and punishment, and think hard about the many superior investments we might make once budget season rolls around soon.

https://www.facebook.com/events/830991111713048/850432719768887/