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Appeals court blocks 'Stop Cop City' ballot referendum

By and FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Published  January 13, 2026 5:34pm EST
Atlanta Public Safety Training Center
FOX 5 Atlanta
article

An aerial view of the training center.

The Brief

    • The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals blocked a citizen-led effort to force a referendum on the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.
    • Judges cited a Georgia Supreme Court precedent (Kemp v. City of Claxton) stating that such petitions cannot be used to repeal city ordinances.
    • While the center is already open, the court rejected the city’s claim that the legal challenge was irrelevant (moot), though it vacated the previous injunction that favored the protesters.

ATLANTA - A U.S. appeals court has ruled that protesters cannot put the now-open Atlanta Public Safety Training Center to a vote on a ballot.

What we know:

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued the ruling Friday after an appeal from the city. A district court had originally ruled that "Stop Cop City" protesters met the requirements to put the training center to a citywide vote.

The appellate court's three-judge panel ruled that the four plaintiffs could not show "irreparable harm." However, the court did not agree with the city's argument that the issue was "moot" simply because the facility is already built and operating.

What they're saying:

Approved by the Atlanta City Council in September 2021, the center has been a source of controversy and debate since its inception. City officials have emphasized the need for the 85-acre campus, which is intended to replace outdated facilities and bolster efforts in recruiting and retaining public safety personnel. They have highlighted plans to incorporate progressive training methodologies and maintain surrounding green spaces.

However, the project has faced persistent opposition from critics who refer to it as "Cop City." Environmental concerns have been raised due to the construction site's location within a forested area in southeast Atlanta. Activists argue that the development could lead to significant ecological damage and adversely affect local communities.

READ ALL OF FOX 5'S COVERAGE ON THE ATLANTA PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING CENTER

As part of the action against the center, opponents collected more than 108,000 signatures in 2023, arguing that voters should have a say on the project. That effort has remained stalled in federal court for more than a year.

Dig deeper:

That petition was at the heart of the appeals ruling. Part of the decision cited a previous case in which the Georgia Supreme Court said the petition procedure argued by plaintiffs "applies only to amendments to municipal charters," not city ordinances like the one that created the training center.

What's next:

With the court's ruling, the injunction is vacated, and the case has been remanded to a lower district court for further proceedings.

The Source: Information in this article came from FOX 5's Sam Daniel reviewing court documents for the judges' justifications and past FOX 5 reporting which is linked above. 

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