ATLANTA — The Atlanta Police Department announced the arrests of 23 people following a music festival that turned into a violent protest at the location where Atlanta plans to build a police and fire training facility.

On Sunday, around 5:30 p.m., police said a group of violent agitators used the cover of a peaceful protest to create a coordinated attack on construction equipment and police officers at the proposed Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.

Atlanta officials stated the group changed into all black, went inside the construction area, and threw large rocks, bricks, Molotov cocktails, and fireworks at law enforcement.

Authorities said the illegal activity could have resulted in bodily harm; no injuries were reported.

Officers have arrested a total of 23 people, and only two of them are from Georgia. The following have been charged with domestic terrorism, according to Atlanta police:

• Jack Beaman, GA
• Ayla King, MA
• Kamryn Pipes, LA
• Maggie Gates, IN
• Ehret Nottingham, CO
• Alexis Paplai, MA
• Timothy Bilodeau, MA
• Victor Puertas, UT
• Dimitri LeNy, France
• Amin Chaoui, VA
• James Marsicano, NC
• Samuel Ward, AZ
• Max Biederman, AZ
• Mattia Luini, NY
• Emma Bogush, CT
• Kayley Meissner, WI
• Luke Harper, FL
• Grace Martin, WI
• Colin Dorsey, ME
• Robert-Paul Fredrique, Canada
• Zoe Larmey, TN
• Thomas Jurgens, GA
• Priscilla Grim, NY

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are continuing the investigation.

Defend the Atlanta Forest sent a statement Sunday night that said in part:

“Cop City will never be a legitimate project. It continues to be widely opposed by Atlantians. The civil rights violations committed by police today reaffirms that this cop training facility should never be built. We stand steadfast in our conviction to build a new world in which all people are safe from police terror.”

©2023 Cox Media Group