Olympia police attack port protesters (11/13/07)

In November 2007, members of Olympia Port Militarization Resistance blocked several convoys of Army combat vehicles called Strykers, and trucks carrying military cargo from the Port of Olympia to Fort Lewis (recent video links below). On the evening of Tuesday, November 13, a women's direct action blockaded the port. It was met by Olympia police and aggressive pro-war counter-protesters, as busses brought in soldiers to drive the Strykers and other vehicles out of the port. Just before the street blockade began, a uniformed Army soldier left the port, saying he was resisting the war.

As the nonviolent women were arrested, the police pushed back the rest of the crowd out of the gate area. A second line of people sat down in the road, but the police decided not to arrest them. Instead, they pushed the crowd out of the road entirely, firing pepper spray pellets and dragging some protesters away. Within seconds, a Stryker convoy began to roll down a nearby street. As some protesters ran after the Stryker convoy, police used pepper-spray and batons on the crowd—attacking many people in the legal area on sidewalks. Although many who risked arrest wore masks to defend themselves from gas, some observers did not.

At least one of the Stryker soldiers flashed a peace sign to protesters as he rolled by. The police also arrested a mother-in-law of a military son when she questioned the police brutality.

The police used tear gas, concussion grenades and bean-bag shotguns against rolling blockades throughout downtown Some people (including 14-year-olds) had been severely sprayed in the face that they had to leave in an ambulance.The police suffered a broken windshield somewhere downtown. The actions continued through the night. A helicopter is circling over downtown at 7 am Wednesday morning.

For background on the port protests against weapons systems from Fort Lewis:

OlyBlog
http://www.olyblog.net
Olympia Movement for Peace & Justice
http://www.omjp.org/Port2007.html
Port Militarization Resistance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Militarization_Resistance
Truck blockade earlier the same day:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dM2tNL_roBY
Other videos from this week:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOkn2Fg7R8w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgi5ESpueX8
Music video on past port protests
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlndgiBhNQQ

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• olympia
• port
• militarization
• resistance
• blockade
• protest
• antiwar
• fort
• lewis
• strykers

[JBXyooj]

I just feel like shooting that person that was shouting "Peaceful protesting, no excessive forces necessary."

I would sooo shoot her with a bean bag shot gun.

Just because she a annoying douche.

[Akihito007]

You deserve to be arrested for TREASON. You were ACTIVELY working against our troops in a time of war with your actions. Trying to sabotage a war effort by disrupting their supply line is an act of TREASON. In past U.S. Wars YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN SHOT and deservedly so.

[tfraud]

Hippie spastic mongoloid faggots! You deserve a shot of aids in the eye!

[bayushizero]

No force is necessary?

These pantywaists are lucky it was the Olympia Police, and not MPs, who showed up to break up this illegal demonstration.

Yes, ILLEGAL demonstration. Blocking another citizen's right of way is, by definition, kidnapping.

Chew on that, hippy retards.

[ApocalypticRedIX]

@zoraom yeah just like always people use that term repeatedly in support of your lousy excuses to shout out inevitable nonsense " THIS IS NAZI GERMANY!" " NO JUSTICE NO PEACE FUCK THE POLICE" if you're going to protest and the police sets up a list of rules youre obligated to follow them, freedom is limited as always because if it is overwhelmed then its no different than a cop putting himself above the law, that is why we have governance, because people dont know how to play nice.

[zoraom]

@ApocalypticRedIX

she could be your sister, mother, beloved

[ApocalypticRedIX]

omfg i really hoped this bitch in the background got shot in the face with rubbet bullets.

[captwasabi]

Of course force is neccesasry. If the fuckstick libbies won't move then they get a baton across the back of the head. No problems with that whatsoever. And who ever is banging on that drum needed a good tasing. And the stupid cunt with the pathetic chants needs a nice big cock in her mouth.

[quadboy17]

you are a bumb bitch. go seattle

[cavscout888]

Nonviolent doesn't you can do whatever you want. Go sit in the middle a of any road and refuse to move. You'll get arrested.

Let alone trying it on a convoy.

[agent4051]

God I hate hippies, the police should've beaten them more.

[hellraiser1031]

you may be non violent...but I am and I just want to kick the living shit out of you pussy hippie faggots. Squeeze a few rounds and they'll scatter like roaches