Self-proclaimed “forest defenders” in Atlanta are calling for a more thorough investigation into the death of a protester known as Tortuguita who was killed by authorities after officials said the activist shot a trooper.
This photo provided by Daniel Esteban Paez shows Tortuguita, left, with their nephew in 2020 in Charleston, S.C. Officials have said officers fatally shot Tortuguita in self-defense after the protester shot a trooper Jan. 18, 2023, but activists argue it was a state-sanctioned murder of a beloved community member who was renowned for having a big heart.
“It was a magical experience for me, being able to live out our ideals,” Vienna told The Associated Press, recalling how the protesters shared clothing, food and money, all while engaging in community activism. She and Tortuguita quickly fell in love during those warm, late summer days., leaving 26-year-old Tortuguita dead and a state trooper hospitalized, shot in the abdomen.
City Council approved the $90 million Atlanta Public Safety Training Center in 2021, saying a state-of-the-art campus would replace substandard offerings and boost police morale beset by hiring and retention struggles in the wake of violent protests against racial injustice that roiled the city after George Floyd’s death in 2020.The planned development, largely financed by private corporate donations, enraged activists.
Tortuguita was a “citizen of Earth,” Paez said, growing up in their home country of Venezuela as well as Aruba, London, Russia, Egypt, Panama and the U.S. as their stepfather’s oil industry career led the family around the world. Tortuguita graduated magna cum laude from Florida State University and had been active in Food Not Bombs, helping feed homeless people in Tallahassee, Florida.
“These charges are purely being brought for the sake of putting activists in jail ... and demonizing the movement in the public eye,” Kautz said. “When we see the authorities using the criminal justice system to chill speech and prevent activists from associating with the movement, that is a grave threat to democracy.
Vienna and other activists have questioned the official version of events, calling the shooting a “murder,” accusing officials of an inconsistent, vague narrative and demanding an independent investigation. The GBI says it has a “track record of impartiality” when investigating officer-involved shootings.when a masked contingent among hundreds protesting in downtown Atlanta began throwing rocks and aiming fireworks at a skyscraper housing the Atlanta Police Foundation.
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