Dozens arrested in protests against Iraq war shipments in Olympia
OLYMPIA - About 50 people have been arrested as demonstrators tried to block shipments of military gear for an Army Stryker Brigade that returned recently to nearby Fort Lewis from Iraq, police said.
Police wearing riot gear fired pepper spray bullets into a crowd of more than 150 protesters Tuesday night at the Port of Olympia and several military convoys eventually moved out.
There was no immediate word on charges. Those who were arrested were held on a transit bus under police guard.
During the disorders a window in a police cruiser was broken by several rocks and another rock hit an officer in the knee, police Lt. James Costa said.
Demonstrators also poured cement over railroad tracks at the port but were unsuccessful in halting trains. Port personnel removed the cement and no arrests were made for that part of the protest, which was coordinated by Olympia Port Militarization Resistance, Costa said.
Also present were 30 to 40 counter-demonstrators who said that the protesters were a disgrace and that the returning troops should be welcomed home without being denied their equipment.
Initially, protesters seeking to block the truck convoys gathered at the main gate to the port, but the Army moved several convoys through another gate, the exit onto Marine Drive. The arrests began about 10 p.m. Tuesday as protesters ran to try to block traffic through the side gate.
Costa said the crowd was warned five times that pepper gas would be used before the first release of the acrid fumes.
Convoys continued to roll after midnight, and about 30 protesters and six counter-demonstrators remained at the port entrance at 1:15 a.m. today.
“We’re going to keep moving equipment as long as we can,” Costa said.
Toward midnight there were reports of unrest in the downtown area, where windows at U.S. Bank branch were shattered.
Protests began last week after the USNS Brittin arrived with equipment used in Iraq by the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade) from Fort Lewis.
Earlier in the day several people attending a City Council meeting accused police of overreacting with the use of pepper spray and batons to move protesters out of the way of the convoys in the earlier protests. Others criticized the demonstrators’ tactics.
Ken Schwilk of Olympia said police removed protesters goggles and sprayed them in the eyes.
“These are nonviolent people. They are not attackers,” Schwilk said.
Ann-Marie Murano, a member of the coordination group, said she has had leg and neck pain since police hit her in the chest last week.
By contrast, Jill Wolf, who said she strongly opposes the war in Iraq, took issue with the protesters’ tactics and described them as criminals.
“I would suggest that today’s protesters are making Olympia look ridiculous while wasting thousands of dollars in taxpayers money,” Wolf said.
At a Port Commission meeting Tuesday, protesters asked for an end to military shipments through Olympia but were told by two of the three commissioners that demonstrators had gone too far.