Olympia's patience wears thin with protests

By Keri Brenner | The Olympian • Published May 03, 2008

The public's patience for protests and demonstrations reached its end after the May Day unrest in Olympia, dozens of readers said Friday.

"While I still believe strongly in the right to protest, I think these groups have just gone too far lately," said Chris Rea of Olympia. "Once protesters started rioting, defacing and acting out with violence, then it's no longer a protest and the message they are trying to spread is completely negated."

Six people were arrested after protesters threw rocks into downtown bank windows and left graffiti on the state Capitol's legislative building.

"I am appalled and disgusted with those people who took it upon themselves to destroy and deface public and private property," said Ilene James of Lacey.

"I find it hard to believe that anyone would actually scribble on the walls of our beautiful Capitol building — that's the most disgraceful thing of all."

In November, 66 demonstrators were arrested at the Port of Olympia when protesters tried to block military shipments from Iraq headed to Fort Lewis.

On Feb. 15, concert-goers rioted after a man's arrest for fighting during a hip-hop concert at The Evergreen State College.

The rioters overturned a Thurston County sheriff's patrol car and caused $50,000 worth of damage to that car and three others.

Dennis Mills of Olympia said he fears the incident will result in citizens becoming even more polarized.

"As a person who has previously demonstrated for peace and social justice issues for the last six years in Olympia, I will have to think twice before endorsing, supporting, or participating in future rallies," Mills said.

Several people urged citizens to pressure Olympia City Council and other leaders to take action regarding future protests. The City Council meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall.

"It seems strange that Seattle can have a peaceful demonstration and Olympia always seems to get a violent one," said Buc Alboucq of Lacey.

Some readers blasted the protesters.

"They act like petulant children who should be taken to the woodshed," said James Boone of Olympia.

Others blamed the unrest on the Bush administration or on Evergreen.

The event was supposed to be a show of support for workers rights and immigration reform, but readers said any message was lost after the vandalism and rock-throwing.

"My greatest sadness is that anyone should feel so alienated from their society that they would consider destruction to be the only way for their voices to be heard," Ken Adney of Olympia said.

Christy Belcher of Olympia agreed, adding that the "escalating violence only hurts the cause of the peaceful protesters."