Olympia Port Militarization Resistance (OlyPMR) is organized to end our community's participation in the illegal occupation of Iraq by stopping the U.S. Military's use of the Port of Olympia.
Today, Saturday August 9!: Unity Rally to Demilitarize Our Ports and Communities
4:00 PM: Unity Rally, Marine Park in Tacoma - 3900 Ruston Way
5:30 PM: Coffee Klatch, Antique Sandwich Co. - 5102 North Pearl Street
The Port of Tacoma is being used as a revolving door to send equipment to continue the occupation of Iraq. We say, "No to Continued War Occupation!"
The rally is an effort to build coalitions between existing organizations supporting GI Resistance, Anti-Recruitment, Port Demilitarization and War Resistance. Your involvement is important!
Gather together afterwards for an informal Coffee Klatch with other regional community members and organizers. Speakers include those involved in the most recent port actions and others working regionally to demilitarize our communities.
Latest news from the Port of Tacoma. We will continue to publish news from the port as it becomes apparent. If you have any news to report, please use our contact form.
Legal Info for Port Activists
Tacoma Legal Hotline: (253) 573 - 9252
Please use this number to report arrests. You may need to leave a detailed voicemail if no one picks up the phone, but rest assured that it will be followed-up promptly. If at all possible, try to get the name of the person arrested, the names/badge numbers/departments of involved officers and the license plate number and description of the vehicle transporting the arrested person. If safe and possible, follow the vehicle to find out which jail the person is being taken to. Use discretion, and please avoid getting arrested yourself.
IMPORTANT: When reporting an arrest, please do not incriminate yourself or others. DO NOT DESCRIBE THE ACTIONS OF ARRESTEES BEFORE OR DURING ARREST: even if they look perfectly legal they can be twisted by police and prosecutors.
Port of Olympia Activists arrested in November still need your help. Please donate to the Legal Defense Fund:
News
Port of Tacoma, Fort Lewis and points between: 4 August 2008
15 Arrested during Anti-War protests at Port of Tacoma and Fort Lewis Army Base
With the return of the equipment of the 4th Stryker Brigade 2nd Combat Infantry Division at the Port of Tacoma, Port Militarization Resistance (PMR) and other groups continue to protest the use of civilian ports in the Northwest for the revolving door policy of redeployment. Regionally, the port demilitarization movement, comprising of PMR and others has brought out hundred of protesters from all over the northwest and has resulted in over 150 arrests in the last 2-1/2 years. It is the largest and longest sustained direct action movement in the Northwest in opposition to the US war and occupation of Iraq – a war that has resulted in the death of over 4,000 US soldiers and hundreds of thousand of Iraqi civilians.
Anti-war demonstrations are ongoing at Port of Tacoma since Wednesday, July 30th. Protesters and observers have gathered at the port, despite harassment by law enforcement such as the demanding identification, arbitrary detention of pedestrians and use of physical violence. Six arrests have taken place at Port of Tacoma, all of which are unjustified and used to intimidate protesters from expressing their first amendment rights to oppose the occupation of Iraq...read more
Port of Tacoma: 4 August 2008
Update 3:44 PM
We have received an unconfirmed report that Forest Student has been released. His arraignment is scheduled for tomorrow, August 5 at 1:30 PM at Pierce County Courthouse.
From Indymedia
Forest Student Tased, Arrested at Port of Tacoma
[Sunday August 3] 7 PM: According to one eyewitness, "a police officer sitting in his car several feet away [from protesters milling in a police designated 'Free Speech Zone'] verbally threatened protest participants with assault by TASER, waving it in several peoples' direction before deciding on local activist Forest Student. Student was shocked with the long distance barb TASER for twenty seconds before being collected and arrested."
Another eyewitness stated that Student was tased again, while lying on the ground in agony after the first assault...read more
Pierce Co. Jail: 3 August 2008
From indymedia
Patricia Imani Denied Basic Legal Rights, Thrown in Solitary Confinement, Called a "Bitch" by Thurston County Officers
Patricia Imani was arrested early Sunday morning at Fort Lewis and taken to Pierce County Jail. Several people went to the jail to post bail for her. The clerk at the window stated that Patty had not been booked and therefore could not be bailed out.
When asked why Patty had not been booked, a jail officer stated that she was not being booked because she was "screaming and kicking and acting like a bitch." Patty was held in solitary confinement and denied her basic legal rights. Those who know Patty are aware that she has always upheld the principles of nonviolence with dignity and grace...read more
Fort Lewis: 3 August 2008
More Arrested at Fort Lewis: Demand the Release of Port Activists!
Patricia Imani, Michael Cragan, and Jamie Hellerman were arrested outside of Fort Lewis early this morning (Sunday). The three were protesting the movement of Stryker vehicles through the Port of Tacoma.
Jamie Hellerman is asking that she not be bailed out, Michael Cragan would like to be bailed out if he's not released by Monday, and Patty Imani would like to be bailed/bonded (she can pay back bonds) if it is not a hardship.
Patty needs vegetarian food and is hypoglycemic and so she needs to eat often. Jamie and Michael both need vegan food. Please call Pierce County Jail at (253) 798-4590 and demand that their dietary needs be met and that they be released immediately.
Fort Lewis: 2 August 2008
Resistance Building at Fort Lewis: Eight Arrested
From Indymedia
At 8:00 p.m. demonstrators numbering 15-20 converged on Puyallup and East D. Estimates counted 30 police cars. Several convoys left the port beginning at 11:20 p.m.; last reported convoy at 3:30 a.m.
A group of 25-30 demonstrators met the first convoy at Exit 122 at 11:45 p.m. A soft blockade on the overpass disrupted the transport for approximately 15 minutes. Estimates counted 20 police cars, including WA State Patrol, Pierce County Sherriff, Tacoma and Lakewood PD. Just before midnight three demonstrators were arrested--two females and one male--and were charged with obstruction and failure to obey a police officer. At 2:45 a.m. a soft blockade at Exit 124 on the overpass disrupted the transport for approximately 10 minutes. Three demonstrators were arrested and charged with obstruction and failure to obey a police officer. All have been released on bail...read more
Lakewood: 2 August 2008
Shocking Image of Excessive Police Force in Lakewood (click for full view--pops)
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August 2, 2008: Unnecessary force: a police officer pins a handcuffed activist to the ground with his foot on the "Freedom Bridge" outside Fort Lewis.
Three War Resistors Arrested in Lakewood, WA
Three women were arrested on exit 122 in Lakewood by Lakewood Police and Pierce Co. Sheriffs. They were taken to Pierce Co. Jail. At least two have made bail. Updates will be posted when we get them.
Tacoma: 1 August 2008
Two Arrested, Brutalized at Port of Tacoma Late Last Night
From Seattle Indymedia
Two activists, K-Tee-O (Katherine Olejnik) and Kelly Beckham, were arrested for crossing a police line at the Port of Tacoma late Thursday night. Both women were thrown to the ground and treated roughly. K-Tee-O was pulled across the line by her hair. They are being held at Pierce County Jail in Tacoma, each on two charges.
As of 3:48 am Friday morning, the women are being held at Pierce County Jail in Tacoma (S. 9th and Tacoma Avenue), each on two charges. K-Tee-O is being held on one count of obstructing a police officer and one count of resisting arrest. Kelly is being held on one count of obstructing a police officer and one count of destruction of property. Neither woman resisted arrest or destroyed any property. The police officers, rather than the activists, were obstructing access to a public road...read more
Tacoma: 31 July 2008
Unwarranted Detentions of Activists Continue: Attorney LeGrand Jones Unlawfully Arrested
Attorney LeGrand Jones was arrested on suspicion of "obstruction and trespass" by Tacoma Police at about 10 PM on Wednesday night at the Port of Tacoma. He and two companions were approached by police at the port area. Their ID was demanded by police. Mr. Jones explained he was not obligated to provide his ID and was arrested without grounds. According to the pamphlet, "What Are My Rights?" distributed by Mr. Jones' firm, The Evergreen Law Group; "In Washington, you cannot be detained or arrested for merely refusing to give your name" unless you are driving a motor vehicle...read more
Communities Rally to Prevent Militarization of Public Port
On July 28, 2008, the USNS Brittin returned to the Port of Tacoma. This ship is transporting damaged equipment from the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team 2nd Infantry Division for repair and further deployment.
Community members, anti-port militarization activists and others from the peace and justice community of Washington and Oregon will descend on the Federal Building at Union Station, 1717 Pacific Avenue, everyday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm to demand the withdrawal of the military from this port. These peaceful, family friendly vigils will continue every day until the equipment is gone. Others intend to quarantine the equipment in the Port. Demonstrators cite a variety of new and exciting tactics to be used in opposition of the military use of this public port...read more
Tacoma: 30 July 2008
Update from the Port
One activist was detained for 15 minutes, and then released by Tacoma Police. There was clearly no justification for this, and we expect to meet further challenges to our civil liberties while opposing the war machine in Tacoma. Our watch continues.
If you have any news to report directly from the port, please click here.
July 2008
Why Port Militarization Resistance?
...Forty-eight U.S. soldiers serving with the 3rd/2nd Stryker Combat Brigade lost their lives during deployment. Approximately 1.3 million Iraqis have been killed in the U.S. Occupation, it is estimated that up to 90% of those killed are civilians, millions more have become displaced as refugees. As of June 23rd of this year 4,104, mostly very young, U.S. Enlisted have died in Occupied Iraq, 532 U.S. Enlisted have died in Occupied Afghanistan - causalities of lies made by the U.S. administration in pursuit to control world resources, lands and peoples...Read More
Four More Olympia Activists Targeted for Prosecution
Four more people who participated in the November, 2007 round of actions with Port Militarization Resistance (PMR) in Olympia are being targeted for prosecution by the City of Olympia Prosecutors Office. Gabrielle Sloane, Amory Ballantine, Davi Rios and Joji Kohjima were scheduled for arraignments June 25th at Olympia Municipal Court...Read More
25 June 2008
Food For Justice: A Not-So-Secret-Café
Please Join us for a delicious meal on Olympia's West Side. Call 360-918-8665 to reserve a table for you, your family and friends. All proceeds go to the legal defense of Katie and Patsy Hutchison. Click for details
7 June 2008
Sisters Targeted, Victims of Police Abuse
Sisters Katie and Patsy Hutchison are being targeted for prosecution following questionable arrests during the November 2007 protests in Olympia organized by Port Militarization Resistance (PMR). While 66 arrests were made during 13 days of civil resistance, three individuals – Shyam Khanna, Patsy Hutchison and Katie Hutchison, are being selected for prosecution.
Patsy and Katie Hutchison were arrested on Saturday, November 10. While observing activities at 4th and Plum, Patsy became victim to the Olympia Police Department's illegal use of chemical weapons. Noah Sochet of PMR explained in a May 16 article appearing in The Olympian that Patsy Hutchison "couldn't even see when she was arrested." Patsy's eyes were saturated with pepper spray; while remaining untreated, she was handcuffed, placed in a police van for over 25 minutes, and then ignored by police. Patsy was in extreme pain. Her cries for help – through specifically i gnored by Police – were heard by many, including hr twin sister Katie, who tried to negotiate with police to get emergency medical attention for her sister. The police responded by arrested Katie. Though victims in a horrible scenario of police abuse and arrested without cause, both Katie and Patsy are now being charged with "Obstructing an Officer..." Read more