Decades of a violence-first foreign policy have taught us: When you invest in weapons and war, you get more weapons and war.

Today, this broken status quo is playing out in Atlanta where activists and organizers are working to stop a $90-million testament to militarized policing, resource misallocation, and now, voter suppression. If completed, “Cop City” would destroy huge swaths of the Weelaunee Forest to build a militarized training center, complete with a fake city where police can practice urban warfare. 

Luckily, Atlantans have pushed back and launched a bold ballot referendum campaign to ensure the community decides the fate of Cop City. 

But now, to silence that opposition, the Atlanta City Council is resorting to Jim Crow-era tactics to invalidate the coalition’s 104,000+ petition signatures that would put Cop City on the ballot. To do it, the City Council plans to use “signature matching” — a biased voter verification method long criticized for its inaccuracies and blatant racial discrimination.

We all deserve better than evasive maneuvers and suppressive tactics; Atlantans deserve a voice, a referendum, and a genuine chance to determine the future of their city. The City Council's next move should be simple and unequivocal: Restore voters’ trust by validating the collected signatures immediately — and you can help make it happen by piling on the pressure to ensure their voices are heard.

If Atlantans have enough petition signatures to get Cop City on the ballot the next step should be Election Day. Add your voice to call for transparency and accountability from the Atlanta City Council!