Fliers for Atlanta neighborhood picnic say ‘no cops’ allowed
Most of the fliers inviting neighbors to a picnic in Edgewood had disappeared by Friday — but one remained, tacked to the bulletin board before “Tear Down,” a house with a porch dubbed the “Free Store,” where people leave and pickup food as the need arises.
The flier was specific: everybody welcome for free hot dogs and hamburgers at the community garden at Hardee Street and Mayson Avenue Saturday — except “no cops.”
It even depicted a burning Atlanta police squad car.
Marlon Kautz, an owner of “Tear Down,” said he wasn’t responsible for the fliers but he appreciated the sentiment.
“I think its is reasonable and probably smart to keep police away from you,” said Kautz, 31, a member of Copwatch, a group that video records arrests and makes allegations of police brutality. “People in this neighborhood are angry at the police and for a lot of good reasons…
“Police tend to be dangerous.”
Others apparently didn’t share Kautz’s view, because most of the fliers — which also had profanity for the headline — that had sprinkled the area around the community garden were gone by Friday.
Brittany Smith, 24, thought a picnic and barbecue had the makings of a community-building enterprise but said a little security isn’t a bad thing — especially if a rougher element showed up for free food.
“It would be a good idea to let the police into the barbecue,” she said. “It is safer for the kids if the police are around.”
Kirstein Williams, 24, noted that in general people don’t want the cops around — until they need one.
“Everywhere you go, there is going to be drama,” she said. “Banning the cops takes it to a different level.”
The Atlanta Police Department on Friday had no comment.
