Community Members Rally to Support Jack Mazurek at Hearing Today, and Demand an End to Political Prosecutions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 5, 2025

Community Members Rally to Support Jack Mazurek at Hearing Today, and Demand an End to Political Prosecutions of Cop City Opponents

Supporters to Gather Outside Fulton County Courthouse to Denounce Continued Prosecution of Those Exercising Their First Amendment Rights

ATLANTA, GA — Supporters of Jack Mazurek will gather this morning at the Fulton County Courthouse—where a hearing is scheduled to take place in Mazurek’s criminal case—to demand that prosecutors drop their political prosecution against Mazurek and all individuals facing charges for their opposition to Cop City.

• What: Hearing and Support Rally for Jack Mazurek, Stop Cop City activist facing criminal charges for his opposition to Cop City
• When: Monday, May 5 at 9:30am
• Where: Fulton County Courthouse, 136 Pryor St. SW, Atlanta, GA, Courtroom 5B

Mazurek was arrested in February 2024 during an early morning raid conducted by Atlanta Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the FBI. He was then detained without bail in the notoriously deadly Fulton County jail for a month, before spending another month in Cobb County jail. Since then, he has been released pending trial on highly-restrictive 24-hour house arrest.

“People are gathering to support Jack because no one should face these charges alone“ said Charlie, a member of Jack’s support team. “The police have been surveilling and intimidating Stop Cop City activists for years, but no one can scare us away from showing up for each other.”

The prosecution of Mazurek on arson charges, without any meaningful evidence, is part of the state’s broader attempt to repress the movement against the militarized police compound known as Cop City, which has faced broad opposition from Atlanta residents for years.

“For over two years, police and prosecutors have been criminalizing the growing movement against Cop City,” said Stop Cop City activist Kris Hermes. “But the prosecution of Jack and the 61 RICO defendants is built on a house of cards,” continued Hermes. “The solidarity and support for these activists, and the continued resistance to Cop City, has been remarkable in the face of immense repression.”

The Cop City facility was officially opened last week, two years behind schedule and at least $37 million over budget. Despite the extreme and bipartisan state repression against the movement, community members and activists have vowed to continue the struggle against Cop City and policing in Atlanta.

Next week, the 61 people facing racketeering charges for their opposition to Cop City have a hearing on May 14 at 9:30am at the Fulton County Courthouse. This will be the first hearing for the RICO defendants since October 2024, and the first hearing for the new judge assigned to the case, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kevin Farmer.

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For more information on the sweeping RICO criminal case and ways to support the defendants and the movement to Stop Cop City, go to: weelauneethefree.org.