At the port: What happened and what did not happen

By Vickie Kilgore | The Olympian executive editor • Published November 15, 2007

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Let me make something perfectly clear: The Olympian's newsroom staff did not get attacked by police when they were at the scene covering the recent port protests.

However, photographer Tony Overman was threatened by protesters and felt endangered to the point of calling 9-1-1 for assistance.

There is much misinformation on this topic in community blogs and conversation.

Journalists covering breaking news often put themselves at risk. Being on the frontlines to report news as it happens is essential. Most of us love that adrenaline rush of the big story happening before our eyes. But in volatile situations such as the protests of the past week, our journalists are exposed to the same risks as everyone else when tension escalates.

And an out-of-control crowd — as the local demonstrators proved to be several times — is a scary thing.

Tony is experienced in shooting dangerous scenes. He spent several weeks in Iraq last year covering our troops.

But last week Tony was cornered against a chain-link fence by protesters angry at being photographed. One grabbed at his lens. Tony said the hostility was alarming, and he felt threatened as they yelled at him with growing intensity. He reached for his cell phone, punched 9-1-1 and explained the situation, officers arrived and the demonstrators pinning him to the fence backed off.

Other incidents

Two other staff members also felt the consequences of being in the middle of the action.

Tuesday night The Olympian's videographer, Matt McVay, was struck in the face by a pepper ball fired by law enforcement officers.

As Matt describes it:

"The protesters had just thrown Dumpsters and garbage bins into the road at Fourth and Plum. Soon after, police in riot gear showed up to push protesters back. I had thought I was in a safe area and was far enough back that I would not be caught in crossfire. One protester ran across the street in front of me, and that is when I first heard the shot, then felt it hit my cheek.

"After getting over the initial sting, I ran over to the side with the other photographers to continue getting footage. I thought at first it was a rubber bullet, since I was not experiencing any effects of the pepper spray, but later I saw that all of the chemicals had spread to the side of my head and had caked my ear. The effects didn't burn until I was trying to wash it out. From what I can tell, the pepper-spray pellet hit my cheek as I was turning my head, causing it to glance my cheek and spray the chemicals away from me. Had it hit any other way, I am sure I would be in worse shape."

Police reporter

After last Saturday's protest scene, rumors were flying that a reporter had been struck by a police officer. That wasn't the case.

Jeremy Pawloski, our criminal justice reporter, said: "One officer in riot gear took a swing at me Saturday, but he missed. Later, the officer came over and apologized, telling me he didn't know I was a reporter. I was to the side of the officers, trying to get a better vantage point, and he may have thought I was a protester trying to flank him. I was not assaulted."

Matt, Jeremy, Diane Huber, Steve Herppich, Steve Bloom, Toni Bailey and Christian Hill, who also were on the scene to report the activities, took their risks in stride. Matt was back at work Wednesday with some swelling, redness and a scraped face remaining from the pepper spray.

Tony, who is not easily intimidated, was angry. You don't mess with a photographer's equipment. But it was more than that. The young demonstrators surrounding and taunting him were being egged on by adults, men in positions of influence in this community. They should have behaved more responsibly.

Vickie Kilgore is executive editor of The Olympian and can be reached at 360-754-4223 or vkilgore@theolympian.com.