FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 18, 2024
Tortuguita Lives: Community members, Forest Defenders, Friends and Family of Tort Slow Roll in Remembrance of Our Martyr
ATLANTA, GA — In observation of “Day of the Forest Defender,” at 3:30p.m., the movement to Stop Cop City and Defend the Atlanta Forest will be gathering in front of Park Ave Baptist Church following the conclusion of the celebration of life hosted by Tortuguita’s mother, Belkis.
From there a procession of cyclists and drivers will slowly make their way from Grant Park to Gresham Park arriving at the latter location at 5p.m.
Once people have gathered and settled, the vigil will start in which friends, family, and people sympathetic to the movement will speak and share memories about the martyr, Tortuguita. There will also be space for other families that lost loved ones to police brutality and violence.
It is strongly advised that press respect the privacy of the mourners and situate themselves away from the vigil. There is a grassy area across Gresham Road by the recreation center that press can position their cameras. There will be designated spokespeople that will be able to answer questions from reporters.
Today is the one year anniversary of the assassination of Tortuguita (they/them, it/its), a beloved forest defender, who was shot 14 times while sitting cross legged and arms raised by Georgia State Patrol (GSP). GSP is an agency infamous for endangering motorists on the interstates of Atlanta with high speed chases and for repressing social movements.
According to an independent autopsy report obtained by the Atlanta Community Press Collective (ACPC), “[Dr. Kris] Sperry also asserts that, ‘none of the identified firearm wounds exhibited any evidence of close range firing (the presence of gunpowder soot and/or stippling).’ This is particularly notable, as there were gunshot wounds in both of Tortuguita’s hands which would likely show evidence of gunpowder residue had they fired their gun at the GSP trooper. The report notes that gunpowder residue ‘may have been washed from the body during the first autopsy, but this is very unlikely.’”
This contradicts the Jim Crow Era founded, Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), that claims Tortuguita shot and injured a Georgia State Patrol officer and backs up the comments captured by body cam footage of an Atlanta Police Department officer saying, “you fucked your own guy up” minutes after the fatal shooting. Like many families that lost loved ones to police violence and brutality in this country, Tortuguita’s family and friends are still waiting and seeking justice.
It should be noted that Tortuguita was loved by many in the community. Folks shared their memories of Tort here: https://stopcop.city/memories-of-tort/.
“When I started staying in the forest Tort and I got closer and bonded over being one of the few brown people there. We were the same age from the same region in the world and both coming to terms with being non binary. They reminded me so much of myself.”
“They were one of the most passionate and driven people I have ever met. An incredibly inspiring human whose loss both breaks my heart and fills me with rage.”
“Manny was a close friend, comrade, and above all constant fighter for working people. I knew them in Tallahassee through the IWW, Food Not Bombs, and Live Oak Radical Ecology and I will never cease to be amazed by their tireless activism, their extreme empathy, and their ability to make everyone feel welcome in radical spaces.”
“Every time I saw them, their eyes would like up and they’d smile, exclaiming a unique nickname they made up for me. Tort loved biking, the neighborhood coffee shop, mutual aid, kratom, non-dominating relationships. I only knew this person over a span of a few months, but like every forest defender, I fucking loved them and am grateful for their life and am grieving that they are no longer on this plane with us. I hope Weelaunee takes care of them.”
Slow Roll rallying point in front of Park Ave Baptist Church (486 Park Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30312) @ 3:30p.m.
Vigil at Gresham Park (3113 Gresham Rd S E, Atlanta, GA 30316) @ 5:00p.m.
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