Last Friday the CEO of DeKalb County closed a park south of Atlanta where the city plans to build a large police training center. CEO Michael Thurmond announced that the Georgia Bureau of Investigations had found booby traps at the site which could cause serious injuries. He said he needed to close the park for the safety of people who might take their children or pets there.

Thurmond claims the site may contain “unknown and potentially dangerous contraptions” on the grounds. Thurmond said hidden traps and devices were found at the sites by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Pictures of some of the traps were displayed during a press conference. The “contraptions” appeared to be boards of wood with nails sticking out of them…

The DeKalb County CEO could not say how many traps were found. Thurmond said law enforcement hasn’t been able to check the parks for traps.

When law enforcement tried, Thurmond said they were attacked and forced to leave the area.

Here’s a photo of one of the “contraptions” found in the park. Boards full of nails like this one were reportedly found concealed under foliage where they would not be easily seen.

When he made the announcement Friday, Thurmond was asked how the closure would be enforced and he didn’t really say. But today there are reports that DeKalb County police and others are in the park clearing it out. The approach seems to be the same as the previous effort to clear the park. People are given a choice to either leave or be arrested.

The DeKalb County Police Department tells FOX 5 that the multijurisdictional task force is currently searching the Intrenchment Creek Park looking for anyone in restricted areas who will either leave immediate or be arrested and charged with criminal trespass.

Law enforcement are also removing unauthorized vehicles and block the entrances and exits to the property with barricades.

So at this point, anyone found in the park can be told it’s closed and anyone who refuses to leave can be arrested. That should make clearing it easier. Police have reportedly arrested one person this morning.

In an update before noon, the department said one person had been arrested during the operation and two others left the site voluntarily when asked.

In addition, police found more of the “contraptions” like the one above, i.e. boards full of nails left in the public park.

After just a couple of hours of clearing the Intrenchment Creek Park area, our officers have already come across several dangerous items (molotov cocktails, nailed boards, etc.) as pictured below. We will continue to keep you posted as we move forward with the operation. pic.twitter.com/rvYa4rLuDc

— DeKalb County Police Department (@DeKalbCountyPD) March 27, 2023

Meanwhile, the protesters are spreading the word that there could be some clearcutting for the police training center this week.

Police are raiding the Forest this morning in apparent expectation of pre-construction clear cutting for Cop City this week. This comes three days after DeKalb CEO Marshall Thurmond issued an executive order to prevent anyone from being in the forest. https://t.co/7oeMBQnq1v

— Atlanta Community Press Collective (@atlanta_press) March 27, 2023

The plan is a protest at City Hall on whatever night the clearcutting begins. That could be as soon as Wednesday.

New call circulating from #StopCopCity protestors to mobilize at City Hall if Atlanta Police Foundation begin to clear cut trees in #WeelauneeForest pic.twitter.com/gz9fFpCznv

— Defend the Atlanta Forest (@defendATLforest) March 27, 2023

So we’ll see how that goes. The last big protest they held in the city resulted in a bunch of property destruction as did the last protest in the forest. Finally, here’s a press conference police gave this morning at the scene.