Atlanta to appeal "Stop Cop City" referendum ruling

Catch up quick: The judge's ruling extended the original deadline of Aug. 19 to Sept. 25 for plaintiffs to collect the 70,000 Atlanta resident signatures needed to force a referendum on the project.

What they're saying: Attorneys for the city argue in the motion that the referendum petition process, which activists had challenged, is determined by state law.

• The court’s ruling, they write, "implies a degree of punishment to the city for its compliance with state law."
• It basically amounts to "compensation" for the plaintiffs, "rewarding them with an additional 35 days of [signature] collection," they argued.

The other side: Brian Spears, the attorney for the plaintiffs who filed the original lawsuit, said the city is "attempting to prevent city voters from having their voices heard."

• "Our clients are disappointed by the city’s actions and remain confident that their First Amendment rights will be protected," he said.

The bottom line: Activists can keep collecting signatures, but for how long remains a question that will be decided in court.