STRYKER PROTEST -- VIDEO: Nonviolence of Port protesters in face of police aggression
Written by Mark Jensen
Wednesday, 14 March 2007
This video is worthing watching more than once. -- It demonstrates a determined and impressive commitment to nonviolence by protesters in the port militarization resistance movement at the Port of Tacoma, despite aggression that some are calling a police riot. -- The video is by Joe La Sac, and was posted Sun., Mar. 11. -- La Sac's videography has gained him minor celebrity during the port protests, and this, too, is excellent work. -- The footage was taken in the early morning hours of Sat., Mar. 10, several minutes before the earlier videos that are already well-known (see links below). -- It begins with protesters chanting "Whose port? Our port!" -- Forty-six seconds after protesters begin to chant "Shame on you!" at the police in response to something that cannot be seen in the video, and just as the situation seems to be calming down, police open fire and advance into the crowd firing rapid-fire weapons. -- One man is seen shot in the head. -- Protesters are clubbed. -- The firing at the unarmed, unresisting protestors goes on for almost 25 seconds. -- Intrepid videographers stand there, filming the scene. -- As the shooting stops, one riot police officer continues stand over a wounded young women and prevents others from coming to her assistance for 30 seconds. -- "Can you can help her? She's down! . . . Get her! Get her!" they scream, in an appeal to the police to allow them to come to her assistance, and then a collective decision to do it themselves. -- But a police officer waves his weapons menacingly at demonstrators, keeping them away from the injured woman. -- One brave young soul comes to her aid anyway, advancing in the direction of a weapon pointed at her in order to help her friend. -- The police hold their fire, and others also come to her assistance. -- Protesters help the wounded woman away, and the police officer backs away slowly. -- The video concludes by showing wounded protesters lying on the ground being helped by medics. -- It is notable the police violence provoked no violence in return. -- Protesters returned, and minutes later were sitting down and singing "Give Peace a Chance." -- It was then that they were shot at again and tear gassed as well. -- See here and here and here for videos showing those events. -- An investigation is needed to determine whose decision it was to fire on these nonviolent protesters....
1.
Video
TACOMA POLICE RIOT -- RUBBER BULLETS FIRED -- CAMERA #1
This happened several minutes before the "Give Peace a Chance" video. Riot police shot at protesters as they approached this barricade. Several minutes later they were gassed.
