Samuel Tunick faces federal charges after wiping phone data at Atlanta airport

Samuel Tunick, an activist associated with the ‘Stop Cop City’ movement in Atlanta, is facing federal charges for destroying digital content to impede a government investigation. The incident occurred in January 2025 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport when Tunick was returning from the Dominican Republic.

Upon being stopped by Customs and Border Protection officers, Tunick used a security-focused operating system, GrapheneOS, to provide a passcode that triggered a remote wipe of his phone's data. Authorities allege he ‘knowingly’ destroyed digital contents to prevent a search. Tunick maintains the action was a measure to protect his privacy from government surveillance.

The case has drawn attention to the broader crackdown on activists protesting the construction of a police and fire training center in Atlanta. Related legal actions against protesters have included indictments under Georgia’s RICO Act and charges of domestic terrorism, as federal agencies monitor movements critical of the facility.