Port says protesters harassed employee in downtown Olympia

A Port of Olympia employee reported being harassed by protesters in downtown Olympia Thursday afternoon, saying they pounded on a port vehicle and shouted obscenities.

The incident, which occurred at about 3:45 p.m., was reported to the Olympia Police Department, said Lt. Paul Lower. A group of demonstrators had gathered just before 3 p.m. in front of the Bank of America building in downtown Olympia to protest the bank’s role in funding the Dakota Access Pipeline.

A port employee traveled past the group in a Port of Olympia vehicle. While he was stopped at red light, a group approached the vehicle, pounding on it and shouting obscenities, the employee reported.

Lower said that no damage was reported to the police department.

Recent protests regarding the Port of Olympia receiving shipments of ceramic proppants, or fracking sands, dominated conversation Monday at a Port of Olympia meeting. Olympia Police Chief Ronnie Roberts also criticized port officials last week for continuing the practice.

This story was originally published December 2, 2016 at 3:03 PM with the headline "Port says protesters harassed employee in downtown Olympia."