Georgia State students arrested during sit-in

Four Georgia State University students and a former state representative were arrested Monday during a sit-in outside the office of President Mark Becker, activists said.

The students refused to leave until either Becker agreed to negotiate an agreement with the Turner Field Community Benefits Coalition or remove them by force, Tim Franzen, a spokesman for the group, said.

The group, which calls itself the Housing Justice League, is speaking out about the potential displacement of lifelong residents after the university purchased the 67-acre Turner Field property, spokesman Patricio Rojas said in a news release.

GSU police told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution they were arresting about six people at 9 p.m.

One of the people arrested, Doug Dean, is a long-time resident of the community, Franzen said.

The names of the students arrested were not immediately available.

A group of residents near Turner Field on April 3 set up camp next to the stadium, refusing to leave until the university and its development team signed a legal agreement to address gentrification and other issues that could result from redevelopment in the area.

“Rent prices all around Atlanta continue to rise, and it begs the question of who exactly this development is intended for,” Rojas said.

The stadium is expected to be completed in time for the Panthers to play their first game of the 2017 season on Thursday, Aug. 31, against Tennessee State.