Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr said the state will not hesitate to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law any individuals who engage in domestic terrorism or violence against police officers.
The statement comes as the Georgia Court of Appeals agreed to review a case involving the prosecution of 61 individuals linked to the “Defend the Atlanta Forest” organization. According to a press release by Carr, this group is described as an extremist, anti-police collective that allegedly used violence, intimidation, and property damage in an effort to stop construction of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center. While a lower court dismissed parts of the state’s initial 2023 indictment—including charges of racketeering and domestic terrorism—the appellate court’s decision allows Georgia to continue its legal challenges against these defendants, most of whom reside outside the state.
Carr addressed ongoing concerns about organized criminal activity and public safety infrastructure. “When it comes to fighting Antifa and keeping people safe, we won’t back down (…) This isn’t Portland or Seattle (…) In Georgia, if you engage in Domestic Terrorism and violence against police, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Carr said.
The current legal proceedings follow a January application by prosecutors seeking to appeal a December 2025 ruling that had partially weakened their case in Fulton County. Prosecutors say that defendants conspired across multiple states to coordinate criminal activity aimed at obstructing public safety infrastructure. With the appellate court now set to hear arguments, Georgia continues its pursuit of original charges focused on alleged organized criminal activity and domestic terrorism. “Relevant here, these groups also targeted property and employees of state agencies, including the Department of Public Safety, the University System of Georgia, Department of Juvenile Justice, and Department of Transportation,” said the appeal according to a press release by Carr.
Chris Carr was appointed as Georgia’s attorney general by then-Governor Nathan Deal in 2016 and was re-elected in November 2022. Since taking office he has focused on issues such as human trafficking, gang activity, and opioid misuse—including establishing specialized prosecution units for these crimes according to Georgia.gov.
