USA: riots due to murder of an eco-activist by police

In American Atlanta, Georgia, riots broke out due to the murder of an eco-activist shot by the police.

According to Associated Press, in the evening of January 21, several hundred protesters went through a march along one of the city streets. Some of them, hiding their faces with masks, gathered at the police building, threw stones at the windows, and also set fire to a police car. Governor of Georgia, Republican Brian Kemp promised to punish the participants in the pogrom. “Violence and illegal destruction of property are not forms of protest. These are crimes,” he wrote on his Twitter.

On January 18, police shot a 26-year-old activist known as Tortuguita. The authorities claim that this man shot the officer, injuring him in his stomach, and was killed by return fire. The incident occurred during the acceleration of the protesters camp on the site where the construction of the public security training center is planned.

Eco -activists have been protesting for a year against the construction of the center, which they call the “police city”. According to activists, so many forests will be cut down due to construction that this will harm the environment.

The Bureau of Investigation of the state of Georgia (GBI) reported that during the raid on the Protesters camp, which was held on January 18, pneumatic rifles, fireflies, cold weapons and gas masks were seized. Seven people were arrested on charges of domestic terrorism and criminal invasion. The authorities claim that none of them is a resident of the state.