On Monday, a federal court judge reportedly denied the city of Atlanta’s appeal against a ruling that “restarted the timeline for opponents of the proposed public safety training center to collect signatures in an attempt to force the issue to a referendum of city voters.”

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports U.S. District Court Judge Mark Cohen sided again with DeKalb County residents who filed a suit against the city, asserting that they should be permitted to collect signatures in the effort to stop construction of the planned facility.

“Late last month, Cohen initially backed plaintiffs by ordering the city of Atlanta drop its requirement that those collecting signatures must swear they are Atlanta residents,” The AJC’s Riley Bunch adds. “The decision also restarts the 60-day timeline in which opponents of the facility must collect more than 70,000 signatures — at least 15% of registered Atlanta voters.”

In his ruling, Cohen wrote, “As discussed in this Court’s prior Preliminary Injunction Order, it is Plaintiffs, not the City, who would suffer irreparable harm by the failure to permit them to gather signatures for the sole reason that they are not City residents.” Read more here.

Earlier on Monday, a small crowd gathered outside a federal appeals court in downtown Atlanta made sure to try and send a big message in their quest to stop the development of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.

A group of roughly a dozen activists gathered outside of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals building to hold a rally and collect signatures for the referendum proposal.

“We want the people to have a voice,” said Keyanna Jones with Community Movement Builders. “And we don’t want this court to uphold Mayor Dickens’s attempt at voter suppression.”

Jones added, “This project, Cop City, is a project that affects every facet of the way we live.”

Activists say they’re still working to collect their 70,000-signature goal by the original deadline at the end of the week.

“If this appeal doesn’t go in our favor, then they’re undoing all this wonderful grassroots organizing we’ve dedicated our summers to,” said student activist Eliza Fausset.

The proposed training center on city-owned land in DeKalb County is being called a necessity by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens due to poor conditions at the existing training site.

The city council has approved $31 million in public funding, but critics remain skeptical.

“There’s not a new facility that’s necessary,” Jones said. “They can fix what they have.”

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