Forgot your password?
New user?
Peace?
Peace Walk "From Hiroshima / Nagasaki to Hope"
Document Actions
Port Protesters in Court
The City of Tacoma pursues frivolous charges against activists peacefully protesting at the Port of Tacoma.
The city of Tacoma is dragging twenty-three protesters through its courts, a continuation of the harassment and repression by the TPD during the recent Port Militarization Resistance protests. Police systematically attacked First Amendment protected free speech activities. In addition to the liberal use of tear gas, pepper spray and projectile, rubber bullets, the agents managed to make up a backpack rule. In essence, the cops would arbitrarily decree a "checkpoint" on a public road and arrest individuals who crossed it. When asked to justify this rule, one cop mentioned, "Well, you know...homeland security." As if the Constitution was suddenly erased on September 11th. Eight people have been charged by this backpack rule. Can you say lawsuit?
Demonstrators had stated their intention to support the troops by keeping the 4th Stryker Brigade home. (While a few soldiers driving into the port gave war protesters the one-fingered salute, many more flashed a thumbs-up or peace sign). Almost everyone in Pierce County is connected to the military and we know that soldiers have been deployed two, three times to Iraq; most are sick of the war. The only one's who have really sacrificed (or been sacrificed) in the Iraq War are the troops and their families. Port protests were aimed to resist Bush's escalation of the war and to bring our troops home from a civil war now.
For the next several months, the court drama will play itself out. If you believe in the Constitution, support those who have gone to jail for justice.