No justice, no phony "dialogue

author : Noah Sochet, Olympia Port Militarization Resistance topic : Police brutality

by Noah Sochet, Olympia Port Militarization Resistance

In April, Olympia Port Militarization Resistance (OlyPMR) and several other peace and justice groups were invited to take part in a City sponsored dialogue about peace demonstrations at the Port of Olympia in November, 2007. At the same time, the City brought charges against three OlyPMR members who participated in these demonstrations. In the planning of the dialogue, it was decided by OlyPMR and by the representatives of the Port, the City and the Olympia Police Department, that the event should not go forward.

OlyPMR cannot endorse discussions with the City and the Police, while these institutions are actively criminalizing members of the activist community and pressing for more city support for war and occupation. In light of the cancellation, and the beginning of legal proceedings, the events of November deserve to be revisited.

For almost two weeks, November 7th through November 17th, OlyPMR and other community groups held peaceful demonstrations that were met with excessive use of force by the police. In one instance, after stopping any movement of military equipment for 17 hours and successfully forcing a convoy back into the port, a line of demonstrators joined hands in front of the Port gate in nonviolent resistance. Removing demonstrators' protective goggles, police used close-range pepper spray, batons, and pepper bullets. On another night more than two hundred people rallied at the port. Thirty-nine women were arrested while sitting, arms linked, in front of the main gate. At the same time, a group of demonstrators attempted to blockade a second gate and were bombarded by police with tear gas, pepper spray, less-lethal shotgun rounds and concussion grenades. Dozens of people were injured.

After this collective trauma, the peace and justice community in Olympia looked to internal dialogue as a tool for healing. In a climate of international war and occupation, we are excited for the opportunity to increase community understanding of the legitimacy of civil resistance and nonviolent direct action. We are dedicated to fostering awareness as the resources of our city and port are being used to further militarism and war. We are actively seeking opportunities to address misconceptions and misunderstandings about the peace and justice community. In November, peaceful protests were met with police violence. As we exercise our constitutional civil rights, we need a real community discussion of police accountability and reassurances that police will not use illegal force and abusive behavior against demonstrators.

We are a community of activists. As we seek ways to meet and talk together, finding common ground and creating a city that reflects our commitment to peace and social justice, we have to make the safety of our activist community a centerpiece of our ethical standard. We are our community, we are Olympia, and we are not interested in peace without justice.