Tempers cool at site of Olympia war protest

Turmoil eases at port; protesters at forum criticize police actions

Heather Woodward | The Olympian • Published November 12, 2007

Between 30 and 40 officers worked Sunday as a result of the protests, said Dick Machlan, Olympia police administrative services manager.

Olympia police got additional support from Lacey,

Tumwater and Thurston County law enforcement agencies.

The additional staffing needed for such protests can cost the city of Olympia between $2,000 and $15,000, Machlan said.

"It's so dependent on the individual event," he said.

The latest port protest could end up being on the more expensive end if additional police are needed to work today because it's the observed Veterans Day holiday, Machlan said. That means working staff members earn one-and-a-half times their typical wage.

Sunday's events

The confrontations Sunday began after about 8:45 a.m., when protesters began marching back and forth across Franklin Street at the Market Street intersection. As 18-wheelers towing cargo began rolling down Market Street about five minutes later, two protesters lay down in the road, creating a human blockade. Police officers sprayed both with pepper spray.

Another caravan of vehicles began leaving the port about 9:45 a.m., prompting protesters to run out ahead of the vehicles. Police arrested at least one man who witnesses said was in the road and later arrested two others.

Those arrested on suspicion of violating the city's pedestrian interference ordinance were Joshua Elliott, Montgomery Gondolfi and Luke Noble, according to Olympia City Jail.

"It got a little dicey right off the bat," Bjornstad said. "Once that settled down, it hasn't been that bad the rest of the day."

Protesters' stories

Elliott attended Sunday night's forum and said he was jabbed by the end of policeman's baton, sprayed with pepper spray at close range and tackled to the ground.

"It's disgusting," he said of the way he was treated by police. "Something needs to be done about it."

Larry Mosqueda, a faculty member at The Evergreen State College, said he plans to sue the city because of the way he says he was sprayed with pepper spray. He said he was trying to help a fellow protester get back on her feet when he was sprayed.