United for Peace of Pierce County, WA - We nonviolently oppose the reliance on unilateral military actions rather than cooperative diplomacy.

Olympia police again used pepper spray against nonviolent antiwar protesters on Sunday, arresting three, the Olympian reported Monday.[1] -- But "criticism of police crowd control tactics mounted," Heather Woodward said, as on "Sunday night, roughly 100 people attended a standing-room-only forum at Olympia City Hall organized by City Councilman TJ Johnson to discuss whether police have gone too far in their use of batons and pepper spray at the recent protests." -- Olympia Police Dept. Cmdr. Tor Bjornstad said: "No one got sprayed that didn't know it was coming." -- But since pepper spray should never be used against nonviolent subjects, this was beside the point. -- Olympia Mayor Mark Foutch "said police reported that some demonstrators have acted in ways that exceeded their rights to use public roads for political expression," but this is also insufficient to justify the use of pepper spray. -- Concern about the cost of police protection is likely soon to be replaced by concern about the size of legal settlements: at the forum on Sunday, "Larry Mosqueda, a faculty member at The Evergreen State College, said he plans to sue the city because of the way he says he was sprayed with pepper spray. He said he was trying to help a fellow protester get back on her feet when he was sprayed." -- The videoclip posted by the Olympian on Sunday corroborates Mosqueda's account." -- KIRO reported that "Bjornstad acknowledged that officers used force to apply pepper spray at close range."[2] -- KOMO reported that PMR protesters who "claim they would do anything to support the troops clashed with police again on Sunday as they tried to stop a convoy of military-cargo shipments at the port in Washington's state capital."[3] -- Criticism that antiwar demonstrations on Veterans' Day was "hurting" veterans was rebutted by protester Joshua Simpson: "This is the day to protest. I'm the only one here who's been to Iraq, I'm the only war veteran in this vicinity, and I'm still here because I don't want my community to be involved in the militarization of Olympia." -- On Monday, NBC picked the story, noting that "The group called Port Military Resistance, or PMR, opposed the use of the port for what they call an illegal war in Iraq."[4] -- (Protesters' belief that the Iraq war is illegal was featured in early accounts of protests in the Olympian, but has disappeared from recent coverage.) ...

OLYMPIA -- Iraq War protesters clashed with police early Sunday morning as criticism of police crowd control tactics mounted.

Olympia police arrested three people and sprayed at least two others with pepper spray Sunday morning. Twelve people were arrested Saturday.

Demonstrators who carried "Support the troops" signs gathered across the street from those protesting military-cargo shipments at the Port of Olympia, but the rest of Sunday was relatively quiet, police said.

Sunday night, roughly 100 people attended a standing-room-only forum at Olympia City Hall organized by City Councilman TJ Johnson to discuss whether police have gone too far in their use of batons and pepper spray at the recent protests.

Johnson told those who attended to fill out citizen complaint forms, which were available at the forum, if they wanted to report something they perceived as improper behavior by a city of Olympia employee.

Olympia police Cmdr. Tor Bjornstad said police have not swung their batons at anyone but have used them to push back protesters trying to block roadways. And he said everyone who was sprayed with pepper spray was warned at least four times beforehand. Some who attended Sunday night's forum said they were sprayed without warning.

Though he stopped short of accusing police officers of misconduct, Johnson called the situation a "significant crisis" and said he decided to organize the forum because he was concerned by police acts he'd witnessed and heard about.

Olympia Mayor Mark Foutch released a written statement Sunday that said any reports of excessive police force that are filed with the city will be "thoroughly and impartially" investigated. But he said police reported that some demonstrators have acted in ways that exceeded their rights to use public roads for political expression. And he said demonstrators need to "express their opinions in ways that do not block the public rights-of-way for unreasonable periods and to respond promptly to lawful requests and orders of police officers on the scene."

Between 30 and 40 officers worked Sunday as a result of the protests, said Dick Machlan, Olympia police administrative services manager.

The additional staffing needed for such protests can cost the city of Olympia between $2,000 and $15,000, Machlan said.

The latest port protest could end up being on the more expensive end if additional police are needed to work today because it's the observed Veterans Day holiday, Machlan said. That means working staff members earn one-and-a-half times their typical wage.

The confrontations Sunday began after about 8:45 a.m., when protesters began marching back and forth across Franklin Street at the Market Street intersection. As 18-wheelers towing cargo began rolling down Market Street about five minutes later, two protesters lay down in the road, creating a human blockade. Police officers sprayed both with pepper spray.

Another caravan of vehicles began leaving the port about 9:45 a.m., prompting protesters to run out ahead of the vehicles. Police arrested at least one man who witnesses said was in the road and later arrested two others.

Those arrested on suspicion of violating the city's pedestrian interference ordinance were Joshua Elliott, Montgomery Gondolfi, and Luke Noble, according to Olympia City Jail.

"It got a little dicey right off the bat," Bjornstad said. "Once that settled down, it hasn't been that bad the rest of the day."

Elliott attended Sunday night's forum and said he was jabbed by the end of policeman's baton, sprayed with pepper spray at close range, and tackled to the ground.

"It's disgusting," he said of the way he was treated by police. "Something needs to be done about it."

Larry Mosqueda, a faculty member at The Evergreen State College, said he plans to sue the city because of the way he says he was sprayed with pepper spray. He said he was trying to help a fellow protester get back on her feet when he was sprayed.

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Anti-war activists said police used excessive force when breaking up a blockade of military equipment at the Port of Olympia last week, reported KIRO 7 Eyewitness News.

The activists gathered at the Olympia City Council chambers Sunday to tell their versions of the events.

“I received pepper spray right to the face, point blank. It still burns today,” said one person.

Home video showed how police responded over the last few days to protests at the port of Olympia, where anti-war activists gathered to protest military cargo shipments returning to Fort Lewis from Iraq.

City council member, TJ Johnson, organized Sunday’s meeting for activists to describe their experiences of what he called police brutality.

KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter Graham Johnson asked Johnson why police were not invited to the forum.

“This is not the time to talk to police. This is a time for people who feel victimized to tell their stories,” said TJ Johnson.

Olympia Police Commander Tor Bjornstad said protesters were blocking traffic and were given four warnings, several minutes apart, to move. He said the police response has been “very methodical and calculated and it’s not a wild and crazy sort of thing.”

Bjornstad acknowledged that officers used force to apply pepper spray at close range.

“Yes, we have removed goggles, and yes, we have removed bandanas, but all those people were given the option of moving and getting out of the way,” Bjornstad said.

Some protestors are filing complaints with the city and others said they are planning to sue.

OLYMPIA -- Protesters who claim they would do anything to support the troops clashed with police again on Sunday as they tried to stop a convoy of military-cargo shipments at the port in Washington's state capital.

At least three more protesters were arrested in acts of civil disobedience to stop the process. But the war protesters were greeted by critics who accused them of putting on a disrespectful display on Veterans Day.

"I would think what they are doing is a disgrace to our veterans. They are hurting because of what they're seeing happen in the streets of this town," said Shelley Webber, a critic. "They will not stop the war, they will not stop our convoys."

"This is the day to protest," said Joshua Simpson. "I'm the only one here who's been to Iraq, I'm the only war veteran in this vicinity, and I'm still here because I don't want my community to be involved in the militarization of Olympia."

Protesters claim the critics' words were not as strong as the police force they encountered.

KOMO 4 News has obtained home video showing police rushing to the sidewalk to arrest a man whom, protesters claim, had no reason to be arrested.

"We had a number of people who were jumping in the street and that sort of thing," said police spokesman Tor Bjornstad. "We did deploy a little bit of pepper spray. We, I think, made three arrests today."

The protest was part of a week-long series of demonstrations by the group Olympia Port Militarization Resistance. They have been protesting the use of the port by the USNS Brittin, which landed at the port last Monday to unload equipment that was used in Iraq by the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team).

Port officials said they could not comment on how much military equipment remains at the port, waiting to be shipped.

Protesters said no matter how long it takes, they will not leave or back down in their fight to stop the convoys. But police, with batons in hand, plan to push back anyone who tries to get in the way.

A small group of marchers gathered on Sunday night to march to City Hall in protest of the war.

POLICE USE RIOT GEAR, HANDCUFFS ON WAR PROTESTERS IN WASHINGTON STATE
By Rhonda Erskine

OLYMPIA, WA -- Police in Washington state arrested nearly a dozen people Saturday when a violent confrontation broke out between anti-war protesters and law enforcement officers

The protesters were trying to block military traffic leaving the port of Olympia.

With police in full riot gear guiding them, trucks carrying military cargo equipment from the port of Olympia tried to drive past protesters. Young men and women stepped into the street to block them.

Olympia police cleared the way using pepper spray and batons and took protesters into custody. Tor Bjornstad of the Olympia Police Department said, "We asked them initially to please leave, we gave them lots of warnings and lots of time, but there comes a point that that is our only option."

The group called Port Military Resistance, or PMR, opposed the use of the port for what they call an illegal war in Iraq.

Military equipment from Iraq, including a fleet of striker vehicles, was recently delivered to the Olympia port to be returned to Fort Lewis.

Protester Sam Green said, "This is a movement that is affecting every single person in the country, in other countries, and this is a movement that people all around the world need to start joining in to end it, because it will be the end of us if we don't end it."

Protesters refused to give up their fight, moving along the streets of Olympia. Some lined up near the entrance to Interstate 5 using long metal tubes and chains. Several of them linked hands and locked themselves up in the middle of the road.

They were all locked up again, but this time with police handcuffs, and were taken into custody.

Tor Bjornstad said, "It's a lot of manpower, time-consuming, it's been a long day."

Military equipment is still at the Port of Olympia and still needs to be delivered.

Protesters say they will remain at the gates to continue spreading their message.