2 protesters arrested at Thurston County Courthouse
Two protesters were arrested Wednesday morning for blocking the entrance to the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
About 10 protesters chanted “drop the charges” and posted cardboard signs on the wall in support of Andre Thompson and Bryson Chaplin, two black men who were shot May 21 by a white Olympia police officer and have subsequently been charged with assault. The officer, Ryan Donald, is not facing criminal charges.
Thurston County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Caro Gonzales and Rasaki Lee Vandrush after they refused to stop blocking the doorway for employees. Before the arrest, Capt. Greg Elwin had asked the group to find an alternative way to share its message. Elwin also recited the state law regarding the interference and obstruction of a court, which is a gross misdemeanor.
Gonzales and Vandrush resumed chanting in front of the door and were subsequently led away by deputies. A few protesters stayed behind to silently demonstrate in the office.
Vandrush, who uses a wheelchair, waited outside the courthouse for transport to jail — and expressed frustration over the criminal justice system.
“As soon as they let me go, I’m going right back where I was,” Vandrush told The Olympian. “People ask, ‘why do we say “black lives matter”?’ Because it’s inherent that they don’t.”
The protesters directed their outrage at Thurston County Prosecutor Jon Tunheim, who had announced the charges against Thompson and Chaplin this month.
Throughout the week, a handful of protesters have occupied the entrance to Tunheim’s office on the second floor of the Thurston County Courthouse.
Their chants have been loud enough to disrupt activity in the courtrooms, including a Wednesday morning trial for a sex crime that involved a child victim. Deputy Prosecutor Megan Winder said the case required two recesses while the victim was giving testimony on the witness stand.
The chanting also disrupted Tuesday afternoon’s preliminary hearings to the point where Judge Anne Hirsch asked security guards to address the protesters.
The protesters have been organizing and communicating through a Facebook page, which calls for daily demonstrations leading up to the Sept. 22 arraignment of Thompson and Chaplin.
Tunheim held a meeting Sept. 5 to explain his charging decisions in response to protesters who staged a sit-in that week at his office. About 30 people showed up to ask questions.
This story was originally published September 16, 2015 at 10:13 AM with the headline "2 protesters arrested at Thurston County Courthouse."