‘We need an independent investigation:’ Protest supporter says those arrested did not deserve it

Supporters gathered outside the DeKalb County Jail and made loud noises, hoping that those higher up could hear them.

Misty Novitch was one of the supporters. Channel 2′s Courtney Francisco On WSB Tonight at 11 p.m. Those arrested are not worthy of it.

“The state of Georgia is trying to arrest and suppress and literally murder peaceful protestors,” said Novitch. “We’re standing against the destruction of the last largest forest in Atlanta to build a police training facility. We call it Cop City, and this is the opposite we should be going.”

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Georgia Bureau of Investigation asserts that protestors have not been peaceful over the last year. GBI stated that the group had set fire to, thrown explosives, and vandalized contract offices.

Mike Register, Director of GBI, stated Wednesday that multiple law enforcement agencies tried to get protestors who had set up camp in the woods to move on when things turned deadly.

According to law enforcement, Manuel Teran was one of the protestors who shot a trooper. Officers claim they fired back, killing Teran.

“We need an independent investigation,” said Novitch. “We don’t believe it happened the way the police say it happened.”

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On Instagram, ‘Stop Cop City’ posted a photo of Teran, saying he spent time between Atlanta and Florida. A background check revealed Teran attended Florida State University. One of Teran’s friends, Matthew Johnson, defended those protestors from out of state to Channel 2′s Tom Jones.

“When your address is a forest, it’s a little bit tricky to change your address, right?” said Johnson.

Background records reveal that seven of the protestors detained during Wednesday’s deadly operation were also from out-of-state.

The following individuals were arrested and charged for domestic terrorism and criminal theft, with additional charges still pending.

• Geoffrey Parsons, 20 years old, of Maryland

• Spencer Bernard Liberto (age 29), of Pennsylvania

• Matthew Ernest Macar, 30 years old, of Pennsylvania

• Timothy Murphy, 25 years old, of Maine

• Christopher Reynolds, aged 31, from Ohio

• Teresa Shen, 31, from New York

• Sarah Wasilewski (35 years old) of Pennsylvania

According to records, some people have never been convicted of a crime.

Other offenses related to traffic, drug and alcohol were committed by others.

Protestors at the jail claimed that their home and histories are irrelevant.

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