Port Militarization Resistance; Tacoma WA.

On March 5th, 2007 at the Port of Tacoma in Washington State, the latest mobilization of citizens to end the war in Iraq began with the arrest of three activists. During the arrest at least one activist was tazerd by police three times while pinning him on the ground. In an account on Democracy Now (March 9, 2007) Navy veteran Wally Cudderford explained he was first pinned to the ground with his arms underneath his body by four police officers. While not being able to move, officers demanded he put his hands behind his back. He was then tazerd three times before being handcuffed and taken to the local jail with charges of third degree assault. The charge was shared by the two other activists arrested that evening, Caitlin Esworthy and Jeff Berryhill. The state prosecutor dropped the charges next day.
The protest has continued for nine days thus far. Police departments involved have carried out multiple arrests and detentions. A total of 29 people, including Olympia City Council member TJ Johnson have been arrested. There are no accurate reports on the amount of unofficial detentions, however one student who was handcuffed and held by police for refusing to turn off his video camera has made significant headlines. The student has posted a video if the incident. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMDW4Fszj2U&mode=related&search=
Beyond arrests Police forces have also used a multitude of “non-lethal” weapons including; tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper bullets (‘pepper balls’), tazers, concussion grenades, pepper spray, and batons. Over the weekend dozens of videos of the protest have been posted on You Tube and in blogs across the Internet. None of the video footage published thus far has shown conflict instigated by protestors. To the contrary the actions of Police have seemed to erupt wholly unprovoked, such as during an early morning protest were activists where attacked by at least 150 police officers in full riot gear. In one instance when Police charged that protestors had thrown barricades at police, prompting multiple volleys of tear gas, concussion grenades, and rubber bullets from the police lines, subsequent published video refutes the police’s claim. No such action can be seen anywhere in the vicinity of the protest. In an interview aired on North West Cable News (NWCN) Detective Brad Graham of the Tacoma Police Department pointed to the area where he claims the barricades were this incident happened. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzEjstUpxoQ&mode=related&search=
However independent footage taken during the protest clearly covers the area the detective indicates during his interview, and no such action by the protestors can be seen taking place. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-w7g_8ZCYU

This protest mirrors another organized by the Port Militarization Resistance (PMR) in March of 2006 at the Port of Olympia, in Olympia WA. Hundreds of activists took part in a fluctuating week and a half long protest that succeeded in halting all military shipments through the Port of Olympia, explaining why the military is now shipping through a less accessible Port of Tacoma. The predominantly peaceful action taken by activists was responded to with the same malicious physical violence, imprisonment and public lies. Much the same as the three first arrested at the Port of Tacoma action, many of those arrested in 2006 were first charged with serious - in many cases - felony crimes, which had no legal basis and were subsequently dropped by the state prosecutor. Police then as now, lied to media institutions when questioned about the excessive use of unprovoked force on peaceful demonstrators.

The PMR and other groups across the nation are beginning to take part in actions of direct intervention (direct action) to bring a stop to the senseless imperial war that is now waging in Iraq. Our politicians have not held themselves accountable to the will of the United States citizenry. According to recent polls two thirds of all Americans do not approve of the “surge” and want a firm timetable for the immediate withdrawal of US combat forces from Iraq. The new Democrat controlled Congress has thus far only succeeded with proposing legislation that would continue to fund the war, while giving no dead line for pullout. We therefore must find creative solutions to peaceful and progressive change in our society.
Events like this need press. The mainstream media often misses the point and fail to adequately investigate the real issues behind a story. We need to spread the message through word of mouth, and alternative means of media to more effectively reach and educate the public about what is going on why these actions are taking place and what they can do to help.
I have listed some links below relating to this story. If you feel so inclined click on some of the links, or do some of your own research on what is happening. Spread the word about the movement and its goals, or if you want to get involved start to network and contact people within the movement, and work to organize activists in your area. This is the most important aspect of the movement. It must grow if we are to move from symbolic action to more effective and broadly organized action. It is imperative that this movement and others that seek to end imperial ambition and the horrific, unnecessary loss of human life.


This is a very straightforward news piece on the protest and gives contact information for many of the organizers at the bottom.
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=51&ItemID=12318

You can also check out www.theolympian.com and www.seattlepi.com for coverage.

www.omjp.org is an umbrella group operating out of Olympia WA. The PMR is associated with them, and their site has good resources and information of the actions.

There are many videos posted on www.YOUTUBE.com relating to the protest. Just search “Tacoma Port Protest.”
-One of the most disturbing videos is from a few minuets before police started to use tear gas and rubber bullets in the video posted above. The video shows police advancing on protestors shoving them with batons and shields. One or more of the officers then begins firing rubber bullets point blank into the crown. At least one protestor is seen being directly hit by multiple shots, including one to the head. Another woman is seen being forced to the ground by police batons, then as they slowly back away another officer sprays the women who is not moving, curled up on the ground, with mace.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1_lmvhkv3c