Available now is our new podcast episode featuring an interview with Belkis Terán, mother of Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán, who was violently killed by Georgia state police one year ago today on January 18, 2023, in Weelaunee Forest in so-called Atlanta.
—————
One year ago today, 26-year-old queer activist Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán was violently killed by Georgia state police during a multi-task force raid on public land in Weelaunee People’s Park. Tortuguita was part of a broad movement in opposition of the proposed $90 million-plus police militarization facility known as “Cop City,” and is the first known climate activist to be killed by police on U.S. soil.
Autopsy reports showed that Tort was shot up to 14 times, leaving them with 57 bullet wounds. Reports also revealed they did not have any gunpowder residue on their hands, contradicting the police’s narrative that Tort shot at police first.
Tort’s death immediately sparked a global response in support of the Stop Cop City and Defend the Atlanta Forest movement, along with demands that police release all evidence from the shooting and that there be an independent investigation.
Since then, the state has not released evidence or allow an investigation, but has instead perpetually smeared Tort’s character while continuing unprecedented repression against the movement, including a sweeping RICO indictment against 61 people for protesting. The state has even gone as far to introduce Tort’s alleged personal diary into evidence against all defendants in the ongoing Cop City RICO cases while attempting to justify the killing of Tortuguita.
Today, we release a special episode to commemorate Tort and correct the record, featuring words from those who remember them and an interview with their mother, Belkis Terán, who is launching the Tortuguita Healing Center to promote healing in a movement that has endured perpetual state repression in their time of grief.
————
We seek to honor Tort as well as correct the record on misinformation that has run rampant in mainstream news since they were killed. Here are the facts:
• Autopsy reports showed Tort was shot 13 to 14 times, leaving them with 57 bullet wounds. Reports also revealed Tort did not have any gunpowder residue on their hands, directly contradicting police’s story that Tort shot at officers first.
• Bodycam footage from Atlanta Police Department contained video and audio of one officer saying, “Man, you f***ed your own officer up.”
• Police had no warrants for the raid.
• Although the state claims Tort and others were “illegally occupying” the land and criminally trespassing, they were on public land of Weelaunee People’s Park.
• Police raided the forest before the Atlanta Police Foundation acquired land disturbance permits from the City of Atlanta. Regardless, their presence in Weelaunee Forest with or without permits is an illegal occupation, on land that was stolen from indigenous Muscogee people who were genocided and forcibly removed in the 1820s-1830s.
• Police later released a gun permit that allegedly belonged to Tort that cited a Georgia driver’s license; however, many know that Tort only possessed a Florida-issued license.
As more cop cities crop up across the U.S., we must remember Tort and the state’s capacity to engage in settler colonial violence to do whatever it wants. We urge independent media to repeat these facts and demand further investigation. ¡Viva viva Tortuguita! 🐢
