[Onthebarricades] US: Stryker movements blockaded in Olympia

[Andy]

GI SPECIAL 5K9:

 

 

As Activists Block Stryker Movements At Olympia Port, "Overwhelmingly Positive Gestures Such As 'Thumbs Up' From Troops As They Drive By In Their Strykers And Other Vehicles"

NCO "Pulled Over, Got Out Of His Car, Came Over, Shook Their Hands And Said, 'I Just Want To Thank You People For What You're Doing'"

"He Told Them That He Had Been Deployed To Iraq Twice Before And Found It To Be A Hopeless Situation"

 

[Thanks to David McReynolds for this report.]

 

November 12, 2007 Zoltan Grossman, ZNet [Excerpts]

 

Olympia, Washington -- Late Friday afternoon, approximately 50 members of Olympia Port Militarization Resistance (OlyPMR) sat down near the main gate of the Port of Olympia in Washington State. 

 

Two tractor trailers, one carrying two Stryker combat vehicles, another filled with military cargo, were blocked from exiting the port. 

 

Police arrived on the scene and after failing to persuade the demonstrators to allow one truck through, ceded control of the entrance. 

 

The 2 trucks were forced by these circumstances to back up - returning inside the port gate. 

 

OlyPMR was founded in May of 2006 when Olympia peace activists attempted to block outgoing Strykers and other military equipment in advance of the deployment of the 3rd Brigade Stryker Team from Ft. Lewis.  Activists united under the banner of Olympia Port Militarization Resistance, declaring a common mission to "end our community's participation in the illegal occupation of Iraq by stopping the US military's use of the Port of Olympia." Thirty- seven people were arrested for acts of nonviolent civil disobedience over the course of 10 days during that first campaign.

 

On Thursday evening, at an open meeting, a packed room of more than 60 activists agreed on a plan for using human blockades to nonviolently contain military cargo at the port. 

 

200 people gathered at the port entrance, which activists say was a number twice as large as that needed to execute their plan.  www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOkn2Fg7R8w 

 

After several hours it became apparent that there would be no movement of vehicles from the port that night, and activists set up an encampment in order to keep watch while others rested.  

 

Civil disobedience and other actions at the port are expected to continue as anti-war activists have declared their commitment to ongoing resistance.

 

As the nation begins its annual observance of the Veterans Day holidays, OlyPMR says they stand with the men and women of the military by demanding an immediate halt to the War, and the return of all the troops.

 

"We want the troops to know we are glad they are home.  We also want them to know that we will do everything we can to make sure that they never have to go again," said Mayes.

 

This message seems to resonate with many soldiers. 

 

Activists involved in PMR actions in Olympia or Tacoma report overwhelmingly positive gestures such as "thumbs up" from troops as they drive by in their Strykers and other vehicles.  

 

TJ Johnson, Austin Kelley and others vigiling at a busy intersection in Olympia this Thursday report that a Non Commissioned Officer wearing fatigues pulled over, got out of his car, came over, shook their hands and said, "I just want to thank you people for what you're doing." 

 

He told them that he had been deployed to Iraq twice before and found it to be a "hopeless situation." 

 

He said that he and other soldiers wished that they could speak out against the war, but military regulations prohibited them from publicly opposing the war.

 

Members of OlyPMR argue that they are struggling for what most US soldiers, and the majority of citizens in the US and Iraq clearly want.
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