SDS: Military shipments contained by 39 women at Port of Olympia

“To update folks: as 39 women blockaded the port of olympia, a soldier from ft. lewis approached the gate and asked the protesters if one of them could give him a ride home since he was refusing to drive the military vehicles out of the port. He said “fuck this, I’m not going to kill anybody anymore.” and got a ride back to the Fort.”

-anonymous, email to NW SDS listserv

Military Shipments Contained by 39 Women at Port of Olympia

http://tacomasds.org/node/207
Posted November 14th, 2007 by Anonymous

OLYMPIA, WA – At 9:00 pm on November 13th the continued campaign to end the militarization of Olympia’s port reached a crescendo tonight when nearly 40 women contained military equipment at the Port of Olympia. The women chanted, “No force is necessary, we are non-violent, no weapons on our bodies, we are non-violent,” linked arms, and placed their bodies in the road blocking the main gate as Olympia Police moved in in full riot gear. Shizuno Wynkoop, one of the women on the frontline said, “I went to the port tonight in solidarity with women globally who struggle to stop human rights abuses and to support soldiers by keeping them home with their families instead of sent off to war.” After the women were taken away, another blockade formed, and police used pepper spray and dragged protesters out of the streets. Demonstrator Noah Sochet reported, “As Strykers left the north gate nearly a hundred people rushed down Marine Drive to block them. Demonstrators ran in front of the vehicles, blockaded them and immediately police used concussion grenades and pepper bullets on the crowd.” Matt McVay, videographer from The Olympian newspaper, was shot directly in the face with a pepper bullet. This is the third Olympian worker to be assaulted by the police. The Olympian has yet to report on the assaults on its own workers.

The women are slowly being released with numerous other demonstrators at the Olympia City Jail. Olympia Port Militarization Resistance is calling for regional support on Saturday, Nov. 17th at 1:00pm in Olympia, Washington. The gathering begins at Percival Landing on the corner of 4th Avenue and Water Street and will end at the Port Plaza. Supporters can contact olypmr@riseup.net for more information.

Contact:

Annamarie Murano
(360)878-1401

Noah Sachet
(360)918-8663

Novemeber 14, 2007