by Tony Zaragoza

I was at the Dead Prez show on the night of Thursday, Feb. 14, and have been a fan of rap/hip-hop since the mid ’80s. I arrived at Thursday night’s show around 10 pm. Through the night I saw nothing happen at the concert that was out of the ordinary. I didn’t see any of the scuffles that are mentioned in the accounts below. I left at 12:40 am, and as I was exiting the CRC I saw a female officer standing and talking with a white man who was seated on the ground. At that moment I wondered what was going on, but I couldn’t imagine what would happen later, and was quite surprised . . .

by Sandy Mayes

The US military will have to think twice before it ever again tries to use Olympia, WA as a launching point for war.

For 13 unforgettable days in November, people in this small community engaged in a courageous and spirited campaign of resistance to the war in Iraq. Sixty-six arrests were made and untold numbers were assaulted by police during a campaign which made national and international news. Day after day, and night after night, people put their lives on hold and their bodies on the line to prevent movement of military equipment from the Port of Olympia to nearby Fort Lewis.

Police douse main gate blockaders with pepper spray at close range over and over. Nov. 10, Port of Olympia. (Photo by Anne Fischel)

After dousing protesters with pepper spray, police use batons and brute force to remove them from the Port entrance. Nov. 10, Port of Olympia. (Photo by Anne Fischel)

Police continue dousing protesters with pepper spray, and using batons and brute force to remove them from the Port entrance. Nov. 10, Port of Olympia. (Photo by Rob Whitlock)

Police use pepper spray on anyone in the vicinity of the Port entrance. Saturday, Nov. 10. (Photo by Jami Williams)

After witnessing the police assault on protesters at the Port gate, Karin Craft displayed this message, which became a defining slogan of the port protests. She later testified to City officials about what she saw that day, Nov. 10. (Photo by Jim Mayfield)

After being covered with pepper spray and brutalized by police at the main gate of the Port, Andrew Yankey quickly returned to his work on the OlyPMR media team, Nov. 10. (Photo by Jay Stewart)

This protester is struck hard with a police baton after being pepper sprayed at 4th and Plum, Nov. 10. (Photo by Rochelle Gause)

After police pepper sprayed her, knocked her to the ground with a baton, and stepped on her ankle, this terrified injured protester crawled to escape, Nov. 10. (Photo by Rochelle Gause)

Police fire pepper balls to defend themselves against activists who are sitting with arms locked together. I-5 entrance at Union and Plum, Nov. 10 (Photo by Jennifer Pellinen)

Police officer digs his finger into the eye socket of a hard blockader as he lifts him off the ground. I-5 entrance at Union and Plum, Nov. 10. (Photo by Jennifer Pellinen)

Sunday, Nov. 11. Local residents give personal testimony on the abusive tactics by the Olympia Police Department during ongoing Port of Olympia protests. The testimonies were presented at a City Hall forum at the invitation of City Councilmember TJ Johnson, who is seated third from left in the back. (Photo by Jay Stewart)

Protesters are hit with pepper spray after stepping in front of a Stryker convoy as it takes a side exit from the Port of Olympia, Nov. 13. (Photo by Sandy Mayes)

TJ Johnson interviewed by Janet Blanding

TJ Johnson leaves the Olympia City Council at the end of 2007 after having served a four year term. He is also a founding member of Olympia Port Militarization Resistance. Shortly after the protests at the Port of Olympia in November 2007, he was interviewed by Janet Blanding.

Janet Blanding: When the news hit that a military shipment would be coming through Olympia again, the rumor was that Thurston County Sheriffs would be providing security for the Port. Why was it that OPD (Olympia Police Department) ended up filling that role?

City Councilmember TJ Johnson hears testimony by local residents on the abusive tactics used by the Olympia Police Department during the November Port protests. (Photo by Rob Whitlock)

Riot police use pepper spray at close range on people blocking the main gate of the Port of Olympia, Nov. 10. (Photo by Rob Whitlock)

On October 12, 2007 the Evergreen Law Group announced a settlement with the State of Washington over the arrest of an activist who was handcuffed, detained and cited while handing out leaflets against the Patriot Act in 2004.

The Evergreen Law Group represented Pat Tassoni, a civic activist, Tenants Union employee, co-president of Olympia’s Downtown Neighborhood Association, and occasional local CopWatch volunteer that monitors police, educates the public about police misconduct, and advocates for more accountable law enforcement practices.

State Troopers Woods (with bicycle helmet) and Baker (with cowboy hat) after citing Pat Tassoni. This photo was taken by Tassoni just after his release on June 3, 2004.

by Wally Cuddeford

In the early morning hours of July 27, known anti-war organizer Jeff Berryhill was downtown, minding his own business, when he was encircled by Olympia police. The cops, who demonstrated knowledge of who Berryhill was, detained him for several minutes, claiming he “fit the profile” of a suspect in a burglary incident elsewhere in town. (Indeed, it has not been established that this “burglary” even happened.) Upon being dismissed, Berryhill went straight home to tell his friend Mitch. Reportedly, officers later converged on the two at their home, escalating with the victims . . .

(graphic by the Oct 22 Coalition)

(graphic by Pat Tassoni)

Demonstrators on the 4th Avenue bridge tell people what they really think about the police. (Photo by Jami Williams)

Doug Nielsen is arrested by the Washington State Patrol at a rally in support of Lt. Ehren Watada. Nielsen was exercising his First Amendment rights on an overpass as he had done previous times with the consent of other State Patrol officers.

Port of Tacoma, March 11, 2007. Police in full riot gear prepare to load into a bus dangerous offenders who would be charged with, among other things, violating traffic laws by wearing backpacks on a public sidewalk. No doubt the riot gear came in handy, if only to assist the police in attaining the proper mindset to enforce unlawful orders.

Photo by Carrie Lybecker

by Wally Cuddeford

The 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, a Stryker unit based out of Fort Lewis, was originally set to deploy in May of this year.1 However, George Bush's "Surge" strategy moved their deployment date up two months. [1] Because of this, the unit had to skip crucial desert training at Fort Irwin in California, and train only here at Fort Lewis. [2]

Police using teargas on peaceful protesters at the Port of Tacoma -- still-image rendered from footage taken by Joseph La Sac on the evening Friday, March 10. La Sac is the University of Puget Sound student whose video camera was running as it was confiscated by police on March 6. The story received extensive media attention after he posted the video on YouTube and is the subject of an internal investigation with the Tacoma Police Department.

by T. Claw

On October 27th, cyclists from Olympia and surrounding areas converged in their monthly ride to support safe, non-motorized transportation.

The Halloween Critical Mass was Olympia's largest in two years, surpassed only by the 2004 election ride. The bike parade was tainted when police harassment ended the ride with unsafe road conditions, multiple citations, and two arrests.

Notice how OPD Officer Gassett uses his 250-plus frame to manhandle an unassuming student who did nothing more than ride his bike at Critical Mass. Photo by Jon Huey.

"Police, you are the people, too!" October 29. (photo by Rochelle Gause)

May 30: Police at the Port of Olympia wore heavy armor to defend themselves from the threat of nonviolence. Photo by David Loren.

by Lindsay Adams

On May 30, twenty-two people were arrested at one of the largest turnouts at the protest against the shipment of Stryker brigades at the Port of Olympia, which began on May 22.

That evening, a group of 60-70 protesters marched from the Shell station on State and Plum to the gates of the Port of Olympia. Once the protesters arrived the gates were shut and more police arrived from both the Olympia Police Department and the Thurston County Sheriffs Department.

May 30, 2006 -- Sheriff's deputies respond aggressively to peaceful protesters who lied on the ground just inside the Port gate after pulling it down. Photo by David Loren

May 30, 2006-- Protesters are pepper-sprayed as they lie on the ground inside the fallen gate at the Port of Olympia. Photo by David Loren

by Drew Hendricks

"Long Hair" David Fawver was finally offered a plea bargain by the Thurston County Prosecutor, to which he pleaded Monday April,10th before Judge Paula Casey.

The case stems from a misunderstanding in Sylvester Park in February of 2004, which resulted in charges being laid against Long Hair for assaulting one of three Washington State Troopers who confronted him. The alleged victim is Sgt. Michael Dahl, who heads the WSP's Capitol Campus unit.

[Web-site editor's note: The following table does not format well with the software we're using to manage this web-site, but we include it here so search-engines can find this page. Please click on the graphic to see formatting.]

Date Case Number Type of Force Officer

9/4/04 04-6759 Draw and Direct Herbig

9/4/04 04-6759 Draw and Direct Gassett (Rifle)

9/4/04 04-6759 TASER Shot Hovda

9/4/04 04-6759 TASER Shot Gassett

9/7/04 04-6810 Draw and Direct Jordan

9/10/04 04-6909 Bite and Hold Conan (Police Dog)

9/10/04 04-6909 TASER Shot , Missed Hinrichs

9/10/04 04-6909 Gooseneck Wrist Samuelson

Olympia Police Department Taser Stats