A fire that destroyed eight Atlanta Police Department motorcycles was among several acts of vandalism in recent days by a group of “anarchists” aimed at stopping construction of a new public safety training center, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said Wednesday.
Schierbaum spoke at a news conference with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent In Charge Ben Gibbons. The bureau, along with the FBI, is helping investigate the vandalism.
Atlanta police reported that the motorcycle fires were started by “anarchists” aimed at stopping a new training center from being built.
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Homemade “incendiary devices” caused a fire early Saturday at Atlanta police’s current training center that destroyed the motorcycles, Dickens said. An hour earlier, vandals had smashed the windows of police vehicles at another location. Authorities believe those involved intended to set those vehicles on fire as well but were spotted by a bystander.
“Collectively, these have been some of the most significant attacks on public safety in our city and in our nation over the past year,” Dickens said.
Since the weekend, members of the same group have also tried to intimidate contractors connected to the training center project by flattening tires, vandalizing a home, and spraying graffiti.
