Port of Olympia Anti-Militarization Action Nov. 2007

Police use force to remove protesters blocking Stryker convoys

November 8, 2007

OLYMPIA — Members of Olympia Port Militarization Resistance (OlyPMR) blocked several convoys of military combat vehicles called Strykers beginning late last night and continuing into the morning. Dozens of protesters blocked the road with their bodies as one convoy after another exited the Port of Olympia. In each case, the convoys eventually passed after police shoved and struck protesters with batons and dragged them from the road in order to clear the way.

The demonstration began at 9:00PM when about 100 people gathered outside the port entrance chanting anti-war slogans. Large numbers of police in full riot gear marched onto the scene around 11:15PM.

At 2:30AM police doused a cluster of about 20 people with pepper spray in order to grab one man in their midst; Shyam Khanna was arrested and charged with pedestrian interference and resisting arrest. John Stiner was arrested earlier and charged with pedestrian interference. No other arrests were made.

Protesters said that police force was consistently excessive. Several people reported minor injuries, including Emiliano Guevara whose lip was split open and received other facial injuries when he was hit with a baton.

On Monday, the USNS Brittin arrived at the Port of Olympia, with a return shipment of the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division Stryker Combat Team. In May of 2006, OlyPMR attempted to block the outgoing shipment of this very same brigade; 37 people were arrested over a period of 10 days.

The soldiers of the 3rd Brigade returned to Fort Lewis about 2 weeks ago, minus the 48 who died from injuries sustained in Iraq.

When members of OlyPMR learned late last week of the incoming shipment, they released the following statement:

"We oppose Olympia's complicity in a war whose disastrous effects have been felt worldwide and we will actively resist the use of Olympia's port to further that war.

... Through nonviolent actions we intend to stop the Port of Olympia from becoming a revolving door of military machinery furthering illegal war. This war has taken the lives of 3,845 U.S. soldiers, over one million Iraqis, and has displaced millions more. These weapons are returning to be repaired and refitted for further combat. We see this as a continuation of the war despite our nation's and the Iraqi people's overwhelming opposition to the war."

OlyPMR has declared an intent to "contain" the equipment at the Port of Olympia so that it may no longer be used for illegal and immoral U.S. imperial pursuits.

****Music by Justice*****

• Category

  News & Politics

[Flurin Bühlmann]

you idiots... there are soldiers from YOUR country going to war and maybe thei'll die for the interests of YOUR country and you want to fight against them? you are asocial bastards... switzerland is protecting freedom in kosovo with armed soldiers and i'm very proud of them. you should shame on you...

[Jason Reeves]

Pepper Spray their asses!!!

[sean5347]

boy you guys really accomplished a lot that day

[DeptOfLawEnforcement]

STATESIDE TERRORISM is why the US population must be disarmed.

Rollout of the Federal Govt's Gun Ownership Ban should start during the initial months of Pres. Obama's 2nd 4-year term in office.

We expect little resistance from the citizenry thanks to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which the President just signed into Federal Law.

Disarmament of all registered-gun owners (we know who you are) will be rolled out on a national-scale and should curtail any terrorism by armed Americans

[poweraxe22]

You're a liar dude. I was responsible for the transporting that was happening, and we were in fact, bringing over 400 containers of soldiers' belongings home from overseas. These idiot protestors blocked me inside the port for 8 hours and the professor (fat guy with a beard) is lucky he didn't get his ass whooped when he beat on the window of my car when I was trying to leave. These kids are blind lemmings, and protest so they can find their own identity. Losers.

[d8vidbowielover]

the pro-peace community in Olympia DID protest when the tanks etc. were shipped out.

[abbaarydumbfuck]

keep fighting communism lil big man.

[18voltfalcon]

Soldiers die pissed

they die pissed because they die in wars

they die pissed because they piss when they die.

[40thArmyBrat]

thats why they give the military fences

[apache249]

Yeah! Douse them with mace! 

[agent4051]

I'm glad the police were there to deal with those hippie fuckers.