Above: An early morning raid on the rail blockade camp in Olympia at about 4:30 a.m. The train, carrying several cars of ceramic proppants left Olympia at 7:00 a.m.
By Janine Gates
www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com
While protesters screamed “Water is Life!” the rail
blockade of a Union Pacific train in downtown Olympia was cleared by law
enforcement in an early morning raid on the camp Friday morning.
The train tried to leave last Friday with a shipment of ceramic proppants destined for North Dakota, to be used in hydraulic fracking.
The
raid began at about 4:00 a.m. and was in full swing by about 4:30 a.m. with protesters
drumming and chanting. Women were screaming.
Little
Hollywood posted a 13 minute video of the raid on Facebook early Friday morning. Go
to https://www.facebook.com/janine.gates12 or search Janine Gates Olympia to see it.
Little Hollywood is still trying to determine if there were any injuries to protesters or law enforcement, and more. More information and videos will be posted as soon as possible.
City of Olympia city manager Steve Hall was on the scene during
the raid and said the city assisted Burlington Northern Police and State Patrol
in removing the protesters and establishing the perimeter around the scene.
Regarding the protesters, Hall he saw them confronting Union Pacific workers
and block traffic. He said one of them jumped on the back of one of the
vehicles. Citing safety concerns of having the protesters near the cleanup
action, city police were actively pushing them from the scene.
Above: City of Olympia police and other law enforcement hold the line on the railroad tracks on Jefferson Street. This photo was taken at about 5:46 a.m.
Meanwhile, other protesters, about 20, continued to walk down the tracks, and turned over a Dumpster onto the tracks near Fish Tale Ale. About 17 police
officers waited in formation, allowing rail workers to clear the tracks at the camp, and
used two flash bang grenades to move the protesters north.
Above: Police put out fire set by protesters on Jefferson Street near the Olympia Dance Center.
Protesters then continued to run north and turn over
trash cans and lit several on fire. Police put them out and the protesters ran
up to the intersection on State Street, then ran west on State Street.
Above: Washington State Patrol escorts the train off Port of Olympia property and out of Olympia.
The train horn blew and the train came down the
tracks escorted by many Washington State Patrol officers.
At one point, as it
was moving up the tracks between 4th and 5th Streets, a woman on the
other side of the tracks directly in front of Little Hollywood ran in front of the train. A police officer was
there and said, “Oh, no you don’t,” and held her back. Little Hollywood was filming at the time.
Little
Hollywood encountered the perimeter of police tape on Legion
Way and ran east on Legion Way and around buildings to get to 8th
Avenue to see the train continue out of Olympia.
Above: As seen on Union Street, the train leaves Olympia at 7:00 a.m. for North Dakota, carrying ceramic proppants used in hydraulic fracking to allow for oil extraction.
On 8th Avenue at the railroad tracks, Sky
Myers of Olympia screamed at the train as it left, and State Patrol officers
walked back in a group on the tracks towards Jefferson Street.
One of them said, “Now what?”
According to a city press release issued at 9:16 a.m., four individuals were arrested by Union Pacific Railroad Police. City of Olympia police arrested eight individuals for misdemeanor crimes that occurred within city jurisdiction as a result of the event.
Another source says that four are currently in the Thurston County Jail, and eight are in the Olympia City Jail at this time.
Update at 10:11 a.m. - City of Olympia Lt. Paul Lower says there were no injuries that he knows of, to law enforcement and the protesters they have in custody. Also, a correction was made to the time the raid began. Lt. Lower says it started at 4:00 a.m.
Update at 10:11 a.m. - City of Olympia Lt. Paul Lower says there were no injuries that he knows of, to law enforcement and the protesters they have in custody. Also, a correction was made to the time the raid began. Lt. Lower says it started at 4:00 a.m.
For more photos and
information about the rail blockade, ceramic proppants, the Port of Olympia,
and more, go to www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com
and type key words into the search button.
I so much appreciate Janine writing her blog.
ReplyDeleteI am confused about the Port’s comments on the issue of shipping fracking sand as they seem to be more concerned about answering questions ‘politically correct’ than addressing the issues. Commissioner Downing seems to think that it is somehow OK to ship fracking sand just because 48 states allow fracking. Has he not heard of the earthquakes happening in OK due to the land sinking from fracking?
Fracking is not an environmentally friendly way of getting energy sources. Also, if he’s concerned about the port being profitable, how is it profitable to ship logs to China if most of the logs are just sitting at the Port? Plus, if the Port shuts down as a Port, then the Shipping Act of 1984 no longer applies.
I don’t understand Commissioner E.J. Zita’s comment that she doesn’t presume to speak for the Port. I thought she was the Port! She also ran for commissioner on the platform that she would repurpose the Port since it is not a profitable Port and has shallow water. Has her position done a 180 degree turnaround? Is the thought of repurposing the Port no longer on the table?
I know this is very complicated and the Port can’t change overnight, but are there any discussions between the commissioners to repurpose the Port?
Beverly Torguson