Freedom Bridge Liberated!Reflections on Fort Militarization Resistance in Tacoma

author : Patty Imani topic : Tacoma

by Patty Imani

As the U.S. occupation of Iraq continues into its sixth year, the USS Brittin, carrying war machinery with the 4th Stryker Combat Brigade, landed at the Port of Tacoma on July 29th. Emergency meetings were called in Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia. Activists from the region soon converged in Tacoma to strategically resist the movement of the equipment as it rolled from the Port to Fort Lewis. This war machinery is destined for repair, where needed, and will then be used in training exercises before it deploys back to Iraq.

The occupation is illegal under international treaties. Principles of the Nuremberg Tribunal clearly states that all who are complicit in carrying out a crime against peace, a war crime, or a crime against humanity are criminal under international law. Those who cooperate in the planning to carry out a war of aggression are accountable for these crimes. As our public ports have chosen to cooperate with the government by contracting to ship war machinery used in the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq, the Ports are guilty of Crimes against Peace. As ports are a public entity, the people are ultimately accountable for Port entities’ actions; that is, the people are ultimately responsible for choosing to comply or not comply. Those who participate in port militarization resistance efforts refuse to be complicit. This has been stated clearly with the first communiqué prepared by those doing port militarization resistance in May, 2006 at the Port of Olympia. Since that time, direct action through port militarization resistance has grown regionally, to include actions in three regional ports, and actions have expanded to include resistance of war machinery both as the machinery deploys from Fort Lewis to Iraq, and as it deploys from Iraq to Fort Lewis.

Where it’s recognized that the aggressive invasion and occupation of sovereign nations is an international crime, it holds that all people are accountable for resisting the actions of a rogue government. Under these conditions, protest is not simply a constitutional right, but an obligation. Where representatives refuse to represent, and where international law demands accountability, we are obligated to resist.

It should be clear by now that this resistance is not only supportive of the Iraqi peoples - but it is supportive of the troops. I do not want the enlisted soldiers to die, I don’t want them - or their families - to suffer the emotional and physical consequences of killing. When the troops return, they come ahead of the equipment. It is after memorials and welcome home ceremonies are held that the war machinery returns, sometimes damaged and carrying the memory of those who died with it.

Thirty-seven enlisted soldiers died with this brigade’s deployment., as of 8/19/08. Anti-war.com reported 4,146 US enlisted have died in the five years the occupation has gone on. They estimate over 100,000 U.S. wounded. Given debilitating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTS), the number is likely much higher. The number of Iraqis who have been killed since the beginning of the US invasion or Iraq is conservatively estimated to be over 1.25 million and many more than that number have been displaced as land, resources, communities, and families are destroyed in the continuing occupation.

When peaceful resisters protested the deployment of the 4th/2nd Stryker Combat Brigade in March, 2007 at the Port of Tacoma, they met with extreme examples of police violence involving illegal use of chemical weapons, less-than-lethal weapons, physical force, arrest without cause, and one injudicious judge who must have been educated at the Hoffman-Sabo School of Law. Illegal use of force has become the standard for rogue police departments, yet as civil suits mount and the anti-war movement grows through a diverse coalition of veteran, community and student activists, hope remains for a growing civil resistance.

Compared to the protests in March of 2007, where we saw great numbers but lacked the relationships of trust needed to make cohesive decisions as a large group, I considered the actions in Tacoma this August very successful. I saw a solid coalition of people working strategically well together despite differences in life experience, political and social ideals. The meeting I attended which led to the action I participated in was facilitated to ensure inclusion in decision making as well as cohesion in our action plan. Despite fewer numbers, because of this cohesion (and amazing facilitation) the action itself, near Fort Lewis and involving a three person lock down to block a flat bed carrying a Stryker combat vehicle - was successful. It would not have been successful if not for all who took part in supportive rolls, or for all we as a larger community of activists have struggled through in these years of resistance.

One thing we witnessed this August was very obvious disinformation that was intended to create discord and distrust within the group. Because this particular disinformation was so obvious, as a whole, the group didn’t buy into it, they didn’t allow the divisions, which others played on, to tear us apart. I would hope that we will continue to do the work that is necessary so that we can continue to build a strong movement of resistance. This means dealing openly with those issues that can divide us. It means working on issues of racism, classism, sexism, ageism and ableism; it means strengthening the weaknesses between the GI / Veteran and civilian anti-war movements, between student and community activists; between anarchists, radical non-violent resisters and pacifists; between autonomists, communists, socialists and reformists. I wouldn’t expect or want us to agree on our political and social ideals, but it is possible for us to agree on an action plan and take direct action to resist effectively together. I hope this coalition can grow still broader to the realization of a large regional movement that is willing to take direct action in resisting many aspects of U.S. war and imperialism.

Once I was able to hear Bobby Seale speak about how he felt the government, through CoIntelPro, came down on the Black Panther Party not because the party picked up the gun for self-defense, but because they were building serious coalition (with AIM, with poor whites, with the Latino/a community, with students, with the old and the young). He believed it wasn’t the guns but the coalition that they were afraid of. They certainly seem to be putting a lot of energy into stopping ours. If we buy into the divisiveness, they might win.

The other thing those who oppose us seem to be doing is targeting those most vulnerable to inequality in choosing who to prosecute, following an action that leads to arrests. Prosecutors in Tacoma and Olympia have been selectively prosecuting women and men of color. Following the November,2007 port militarization resistance actions in Olympia, seven individuals of 66 arrests were selected for prosecution – all seven were women or men of color. Following the August, 2008 port militarization resistance actions in Tacoma, of 11 individuals who were arrested while taking part in direct action to block the movement of war machinery, not one single male bodied person was selected for prosecution. These 11 arrests were divided into four different action groups; three of the four action groups included male bodied people in their numbers. Though all took part in the same action, only the women in those action groups are being prosecuted.

On Thursday, July 31st, two women were arrested at the Port of Tacoma after running in the direction of a convoy of Stryker vehicles with others. The women were physically assaulted by police and placed under arrest. As explained in a press release by the action group, one of those arrested was pulled across a “police line by her hair, slammed to the ground, lifted up in a head lock then slammed down again. Police then kneeled on her back. This all happened while she loudly repeated "I'm not resisting arrest."

On Friday night, August 1st, three people were arrested after they effectively blocked a convoy of military equipment on Freedom Bridge at exit 122 leading to Ft. Lewis. This was the first successful block; that it happened at Freedom Bridge, was inspiring and gave us reason to celebrate. Later that night, a second action succeeded in blocking war machinery returning to Fort Lewis at a bridge near exit 123. Another three people were arrested, though more took part in the action and provided support. Saturday night, August 2nd, a third successful action took place involving a three person lockdown at the Exit 120 off ramp leading to the main gate at Fort Lewis. All three who took part in the lockdown were arrested.

In addition to the 11 arrests related to direct actions resisting the movement of war machinery, from which six women are being prosecuted, there were four other arrests in Tacoma. The arrests were made in order to confiscate property or otherwise punish individuals who served to support the resistance in different roles.

General harassment of protesters began with numerous illegal detainments at the Port of Tacoma in the early days of action. One of those detainments led to the arrest of an ACLU lawyer after he exercised his rights under law to not provide his papers (ID) to police while present at the Port of Tacoma. This lawyer has worked to defend a number of people within the activist community, including those active in port militarization resistance.

On Sunday, August 3rd near Fort Lewis - at a separately organized event corresponding to the National Day of Action against the War with Iran – an organizer who provided his home to coordinate jail and legal support for those arrested in Tacoma was arrested himself on charges of littering and obstruction. He was merely dropping off signs and a papier-mâché’ head of George Bush Jr. to be used at the rally.

On Sunday, August 3rd, a man -- who was consistently present during this resistance, and who had been peacefully protesting within a designated “free speech zone” at the port -- was TASERed by a cop through the window of his patrol car. The shooting victim was taken to a hospital emergency room, brought to the jail for booking and soon released. The illegal use of force by the Tacoma Police Department, and ungrounded arrest that followed, apparently led the prosecuting office to file no charges against the shooting victim.

On Monday August 4th a videographer, who had filmed many of the actions during the week, was specifically targetied at a Port action focused on preventing war machinery from leaving the quay near the Port entrance. He was arrested on charges of trespass, his camera and film confiscated by the police. A judge later ruled that the camera should be returned, though the authorities were allowed to keep the film “as evidence” (or for the purpose of surveillance).

Those calling the shots intend to undermine the movement by targeting specific individuals who play a supportive role, or who directly resist. By targeting women and people of color for prosecution they hope to discourage participation in resistance movements by others who are most oppressed by inequality in our society. If those taking the risk to resist are supported and are able to stay strong throughout the legal process in bringing the criminal nature of this war to trial, then the movement stays strong. Please consider donating to the legal defense fund and helping those who are being selectively prosecuted with their legal costs. Our activist community is unique; many who are being selectively prosecuted are low-income and must turn to the greater community for support.

You can help by sending a donation made payable to the Port of Olympia Legal Defense Fund or “POLDF”, and mail to Legal Defense, PO BOX 295 Olympia, WA 98502. The money will go directly to those who need the help for legal defense in these cases. Several benefit shows are also being scheduled to raise legal defense monies. Mark your calendar for “Poetry from the People of the Port”, Friday, September 19th, 7-9 PM at LAST WORD BOOKS. A concert benefit will be held with some of the area’s finest musicians on Friday, October 24th, 7-10 PM at TRADTIONS. Updates can be found at olypmr.org