5 left-wing Georgian protesters face domestic terrorism charges after attacking police at Cop City site

Five people were arrested in Georgia and charged with domestic terrorism in the wake of a violent protest at the planned site of a police training center.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said in a press release that the five people were arrested at a protest Tuesday in Atlanta at the site of the future training center after protesters threw rocks at police cars and EMT workers with rocks and bottles a fire station nearby had attacked the site.

“Members of the task force used various tactics to arrest people occupying makeshift tree houses,” the press release said, adding that police found “explosive devices, gasoline and street flares” after clearing the protest site.

Francis Carroll, a 22-year-old from Maine, was charged with trespassing, domestic terrorism, aggravated assault, criminal obstruction, tampering with government property and possession of tools to commit a crime.

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Serena Hertel, left, and Francis Carroll.
(DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office)

Nicholas Olson, a 25-year-old from Nebraska, was charged with domestic terrorism, aggravated assault, interference with government property and obstruction.

Serena Hertel, a 25-year-old California woman, was charged with trespassing, domestic terrorism, aggravated assault, disability and inciting a riot.

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Five protesters at a planned police training area were arrested and charged with domestic terrorism.
(WAGA TV)

Leonardo Vioselle, 20, of Macon, Georgia, has been charged with criminal trespassing, domestic terrorism and possession of tools of crime.

Arieon Robinson, a 22-year-old Wisconsin man, was charged with criminal trespassing, disability and domestic terrorism.

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Left to right, Nicholas Olson, Arieon Robinson and Leonardo Vioselle.
(DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office)

“They shot pepper balls, tear gas at people who were just peacefully holding the forest space,” one of the demonstrators at the scene told WAGA-TV. “I find it really disgusting.”

The arrests come as left-wing protesters have mobilized for months to halt construction of the police training area dubbed “Cop City” and camp out in the woods to set up entrenchments.

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“The City of Atlanta has leased 850 acres of Weelaunee Forest, stolen Muscogee land, to the Atlanta Police Foundation for a corporate-funded military police facility,” Stop Cop City said on its website. “Cop City will never be built. #StopCopCity #DefendWeelaunee.”

The Atlanta skyline is seen on Wednesday June 22, 2022.
(Photographer: Dustin Chambers/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

FOX 5 Atlanta reported that protesters from the “Stop Cop City” movement have camped out on the property since last year to demonstrate resistance to “expanding the police state.” These self-proclaimed “forest defenders” have stuck metal stakes into trees to make them dangerous to cut down.

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In May, Atlanta police arrested eight protesters accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at officers escorting construction workers to the facility’s site, and the FBI was at the scene amid a “concerted effort” by actors from at least seven other states who commit criminal acts to stop them from building up.

“In recent months, law enforcement has made multiple arrests for ongoing criminal activity on the premises, including carjacking, various crimes against persons, destruction of property, arson and attacks on public safety officers,” GBI posted on Twitter this week.

Fox News’ Danielle Wallace contributed to this report

Andrew Mark Miller is a Fox News writer. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.