22 anti-war protesters arrested at port

[David]

OLYMPIA, Washington (AP) -- Hours after police fired pepper gas and arrested 22 anti-war protesters, activists returned to Port of Olympia on Wednesday to oppose the shipment of Army equipment to Iraq.

Some activists spent the night at the port facility at the south end of Puget Sound.

War opponents began watching the port for a military ship more than a week ago after learning that Stryker armored vehicles and other Army gear from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, a 4,000-soldier unit stationed at Fort Lewis, were to be shipped through the port to Iraq. The cargo ship arrived late Monday.

Officers used pepper spray several times Tuesday night, including once when some people in the crowd threw bottles and rocks at officers, said sheriff's Capt. Brad Watkins.

After the initial arrests, the crowd dropped to about 100 people, he said. Later, the remaining protesters headed off on a brief march but about three dozen returned for a late-night vigil, Watkins said.

Watkins said 22 people had been arrested, two of them for failure to disperse and the rest for criminal trespass.

On Monday night, at least three protesters tried to pry the port gate open. Authorities fired pepper spray after asking demonstrators several times to stop, authorities said.

Sixteen people were arrested over three days last week, mostly for pedestrian interference.









Thurston County sheriff's deputies separate protesters at Washington's Port of Olympia on Wednesday.

[Stick]

Originally posted by David OLYMPIA, Washington Sixteen people were arrested over three days last week, mostly for pedestrian interference.

Willful interference of American Armed Forces who are legally on orders from the Congress of the United States and the logistics needed by those Armed Forces to accomplish their mission should be a Federal Offense where, if found guilty of the offense, be punishable by no less than mandatory sentencing of incarceration in a Federal Penitentiary for the duration of the deployment of those Armed Forces.

[melody1181]

To bad they can't have some sense beat in to there dumb butts.

[1CAVCCO15MED]

Do they really think they will change anything? I guess it comes from the myth that such antics stopped the Vietnam War. It is just a bunch of self indulgent buffoons.

[SuperScout]

But these self-indulgent buffoons ultimately influenced enough US politicians to lose the Vietnam War for us, after we won it militarily. Do not underestimate the effect these buffoons have on the left-wing of our political structure, the very same people who are trying to give away the sacrifices already made in our war againist the terrorists.

They have a right to protest, but trying to interfer with the materials needed by our men and women in the field is wrong. They were arrested and they deserved to be arrested.

[Jerry D]

and those three individuals should be tried for Attempting B&E at a port facility should get them a felony conviction depending on the status of the enclosure whether it was under federal/military control, Which it should be with the new Homeland Security Rules.