By Sudhin Thanawala, July 6, 2023
ATLANTA — A fire that destroyed eight Atlanta Police Department motorcycles was among several acts of vandalism in recent days by a group of “anarchists” aimed at stopping construction of a new public safety training center, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said Wednesday.
Schierbaum spoke at a news conference with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent In Charge Ben Gibbons. The bureau, along with the FBI, is helping investigate the vandalism.
Homemade “incendiary devices” caused a fire early Saturday at Atlanta police’s current training center that destroyed the motorcycles, Dickens said. An hour earlier, vandals had smashed the windows of police vehicles at another location. Authorities believe those involved intended to set those vehicles on fire as well but were spotted by a bystander.