Whereas the violence occurred at the construction site of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, also known as Cop City ; Whereas violent protesters and rioters in the Stop Cop City movement from across the Nation and the globe have been objecting to the construction of the Training Center by destroying property and coordinating attacks; Whereas, on March 5, 2023, this group clashed with the Atlanta Police Department, and 23 people were arrested on domestic terrorism charges for attacking officers and destroying equipment; Whereas only 2 of those arrested were from the State of Georgia and would have a relevant voice on policing issues in Atlanta and the State; Whereas destruction of property and vandalism, including the use of Molotov cocktails and fireworks, further damages the local ecology despite the protesters’ claims of opposing ecological destruction ; Whereas such violence perpetuates the trend of violent attacks against law enforcement and public officials; Whereas sentiments of the Defund Police movement have contributed to increased violence against law enforcement over the last few years; Whereas major urban cities saw a 42 percent increase in homicides and a 34 percent increase in aggravated assaults in 2022 as compared to 2019; Whereas, in 2021, law enforcement agencies across the Nation were short 7 percent of filling budgeted positions, and retirements were up 45 percent; Whereas the Training Center would positively contribute to proper training of police officers; and Whereas the Training Center is necessary for morale and recruitment efforts and will include important trainings, such as deescalation, crisis intervention, civil rights history education, mental health, and more: Now, therefore, be it

That— (1) the House of Representatives condemns the recent violence near Atlanta, Georgia; and (2) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that law enforcement must be supported to carry out their jobs and protect American lives.