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Sondra K has been blogging from the moonbat protests in Olympia, Washington, where the far Left is showing its support for the troops by…blocking military shipments from the troops. Seditiously interfering with military shipments is nothing new, of course. They’ve been doing it since the invasion of Iraq. What does seem to be new is this–using children as human shields in their quest to prevent vital equipment from getting to and from the battlefield (click for full pic at Sondra K’s):
Port and military officials are justifiably angry at the police for the lack of support they have received during the obstructionist demonstrations. The presence of the kiddie human shields complicated the response:
Protesters declared victory after port activity ended Friday night with the unsuccessful attempt to drive out two trucks, one carrying a Stryker vehicle and the other carrying two cargo containers.
“We’re a little disappointed that we didn’t get some police support, but we understand that with the resources they expended the other night, they had problems pulling all the necessary officers together,” Port of Olympia Commission President Paul Telford said. “But they did a great job the other night.”
He also noted that by the time the protesters stopped the two trucks from leaving about 4 p.m., the day’s operations at the port were almost complete anyway.
Two nights earlier, on Wednesday, police clashed with protesters, moving groups and arresting two people who were attempting to block convoys from the port. The protests were organized by Olympia Port Militarization Resistance in opposition to the use of the port for what members say is an illegal, immoral war in Iraq. There were no convoys Thursday.
The problems the protesters are causing at the port “aren’t winning them any friends,” Telford said Friday. Added port spokeswoman Patti Grant, relaying a comment by port Executive Director Ed Galligan, “it’s unfortunate that the protests can’t be peaceful and nonobstructionist.”
For most of the day Friday, trucks were able to leave unimpeded. Friday’s standoff started after 3 p.m.
Olympia Police Commander Tor Bjornstad acknowledged the department’s difficulty in pulling together the resources needed to remove protesters who stood or sat in the path of the trucks.
“We understand that the port and the military are disappointed about this evening,” he said.
Bjornstad added that police didn’t anticipate protesters blocking trucks Friday afternoon. Police also didn’t anticipate that small children would be among them, he said.
Two grade-school-age boys and a toddler were among the people in the path of the trucks Friday, a development that Bjornstad said was “quite disturbing” and “quite appalling, in my opinion.” Police want to ensure the safety of the protesters, should they have to be removed, and police were not prepared for safely removing children Friday, he said.
“We’re going to have to figure out how to address that issue,” Bjornstad said.
In addition to protest arrests, the anti-war thugs have also targeted local churches for vandalism:
Over the weekend vandals smashed windows at the New Apostolic Church in west Olympia and at the Flood the Sound Church just a few miles away and spray-painted anarchist graffiti along the path between the two churches.
“That kind of made us suspicious,” Lt. Chris Mealy with the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office said.
Graffiti left on a nearby store said “No Port Militarization—Oly unite.”
According to detectives, they are wondering if the attacks on the church are somehow a twisted effort to protest war.
“We’re most definitely going to be looking into it,” Mealy said.
The vandalism took place just before the arrival of the U.S. Naval ship Brittin, which is carrying Fort Lewis military hardware back from the war in Iraq.
End Michelle’s post——————————-
Take a good look at that. The police are frustrated? Excuse me, but aren’t those children’s lives being endangered by placing them in front of moving vehicles? Have the police contacted social services? Do the protestors have permits? What are the parameters of the protest?
November 12, 2007 - 09:51 AM on November 12th, 2007
The parents should be arrested and the children made wards of the state. On the 2nd arrest for such sedition, they protesters should be given a 1 way ticket to Iran.
November 12, 2007 - 10:21 AM on November 12th, 2007
I suport their right to protest, however it is only sick individual’s who would allow theior parenting responsibilites to be over riden by their want to protest. This is delibertly placing their children in harms way.
I don’t agree with the sedition charge, but I do agree that the parents should be brought up on charges of child neglect.
I do not thing the children should be made wards of the state though. That is only in the most severe of circumstances. The state can not be parents or guardians- hell, they can’t even do healthcare right so I shudder at the effects of them taking responsibilty of a child!
November 12, 2007 - 10:28 AM on November 12th, 2007
Ted,
I’m very aware of how screwed up the State of Washington DHS is. Ever hear of the Wenatachee Witchhunt?
November 12, 2007 - 10:34 AM on November 12th, 2007
3.
Mope- fill me in.
I am aware of Ohio’s screw up- the couple who were keeping their foster children in cages.
7 of them.
November 12, 2007 - 10:39 AM on November 12th, 2007
These protesters should be sent to Al Qaeda so they can personally deliver their message of peace and surrender to the Islamofascists.
I would outfit them with T-shirts that say “Allah Sux!” and send them over.
Then we won’t have to deal with them anymore.
November 12, 2007 - 10:46 AM on November 12th, 2007
4-Ted, I provided the link to PCD post in #3.
November 12, 2007 - 10:52 AM on November 12th, 2007
4, Ted, there is a long email list called Witchhunt. Take a long gander at what the nanny state and a rouge police officer can do. My GOD accusing a whole church of child abuse and child rape upon the altar of their church and convicting a man of child abuse when he wasn’t even in state at the time.
Yes, I certainly know how the liberals have screwed up WA State, but even in Foster care, those children would be safer than at their parents’ protests.
November 12, 2007 - 01:23 PM on November 12th, 2007
Whenever I hear of a protest my first thought is that they are protesting in the wrong place. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, hell anywhere in the middle east might be a tad more effective than protesting here.
Also on another note I saw a newsclip last week of a protest (didn’t catch the city) but the sign said “FREE IRAQ” and I thought well YES, your welcome.
November 12, 2007 - 01:32 PM on November 12th, 2007
They use kids to push their radical ideas those parents should be ashamed of themselves they use their kids to push their ideas frankly i hope their kids are taken from them and their thrown in jail and fed bread and water
November 12, 2007 - 04:37 PM on November 12th, 2007
#8 very true. I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said “Demand Peace!” I thought, yeah, good idea, why don’t you fly over there, confront Al Qaeda or the Taliban, and simply Demand Peace! (jackass)
November 12, 2007 - 08:10 PM on November 12th, 2007
These protesters have the right to protest. They do not have the right to block public thoroughfares, or to trespass on private property. If the city police are unwilling to enforce the laws in this regard, the county sheriff should be summoned (as Sheriff Joe is whenever dealing with illegal aliens since the Phoenix Administration forbids their officers from contacting ICE), and should the sheriff refuse, the state should be called. If the State refuses to act, a PRESS CONFERENCE complete with attornies filing a lawsuit against the protestors, the city, county and state governments on behalf of the service members who are being denied their equipment and their families for mental anguish and physical pain and suffering. It only takes one soldier being wounded because his equipment didn’t arrive, or one widow not receiving her husband’s personal effects for this to become a multi-million dollar settlement. The old phrase of your rights to swing your fist ends at the other person’s nose applies. Their rights stop the minute they interfere with someone else’s
November 12, 2007 - 10:33 PM on November 12th, 2007
These kids are probably paid to protest.
November 13, 2007 - 11:30 PM on November 13th, 2007
Is it my imagination or do these protestors look remarkably like the same protestors who were doing this kind of crap during Vietnam? Does not knowing how either to shave or maintain a beard that doesn’t look like crap act as a prerequisite for being an anti war protestor?