Port Militarization Resistance (PMR) is an anti-war movement in the United States. The movement began in May 2006, in Olympia, Washington, but also has chapters in Tacoma, Washington, Grays Harbor, Washington, and the Mid-Atlantic region."Port Militarization Resistance: Mid-Atlantic" Port Militarization Resistance is also the name of the strategy employed by this movement. Adherents of the PMR strategy advocate an end to the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan to be accomplished through making civilian-owned ports inaccessible to the military, with less emphasis on persuading elected officials to abandon the war. PMR organized high-profile protests at the Port of Olympia and the Port of Tacoma in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009.
Strategy and tactics
While attempts are made to appeal to local governing bodies to cease military shipments, many PMR organizers and port action participants believe these avenues have largely been exhausted."A Statement From the Newly Formed Port Militarization Resistance", Port Militarization Resistance, June 2006"Interview with TJ Johnson", Ross Reynolds, Works In Progress, April 2007 Thus, PMR the movement and adherents of the PMR strategy focus on direct action, a political philosophy which relies on circumventing the authority of elected officials.
Tactics used in PMR actions vary, and have included each of the following:
daily/nightly vigils picketing die-ins banner drops human blockades and locking arms civil disobedience such as ignoring police-designated "free-speech zones" soft-arrest demonstrations physical road blockades unpermitted marches property damage.
While each of the above listed tactics has been used at PMR hosted protests, PMR does not necessarily endorse each of those, and organizers have from time to time spoken out against various actions taken at its protests."Blocking the Strykers: Thirteen Days of War Resistance at the Port of Olympia", Sandy Mayes, Works In Progress, December 2007
It has also been suggested by port action participants that one of PMR's most effective tactics is the forcing of local jurisdictions to escalate their security expenses during the shipments, making the shipments less valuable.
Port Militarization Resistance has encouraged participants to engage in a mixture of direct action and indirect action for the purposes of obstructing military shipments. PMR has at times acted as a cohesive unit, and at other times has encouraged members to organize into affinity groups.
Port Militarization Resistance has issued statements committing itself to non-violence. This commitment includes refusals to engage in things like "verbal harassment" and "malicious sabotage." "Port Militarization Resistance Code/Statement of Non-Violence" , Port Militarization Resistance, February 18, 2007 While the movement has never been involved in any act in violation of this commitment, not all participants in port actions consider themselves aligned with PMR the movement, and some have engaged in actions which would be in violation of PMR's commitment to non-violence.
Pre-PMR port actions
The basic strategy of Port Militarization Resistance is not unique to the anti-Iraq War movement. During the Vietnam War, sailors and anti-war activists petitioned local governments to prevent deployments and shipments out of local ports.
Not long after the start of the Iraq War, activists engaged in protests at the Port of Oakland. Police responded by firing wooden pellets and concussion grenades at protesters and longshore workers alike, sending several people to the hospital."Police Violence Shocks Activists, Others at Port of Oakland Protest" , Dana Hull, San Jose Mercury News, April 7, 2003
The Port of Olympia was used several times to ship equipment to Iraq before the formation of Port Militarization Resistance. In November 2004, an announcement by the Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace indicated the intent to protest one such shipment."Port Military Shipment – Information and Planned Response" , Alice Zillah, Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace, November 14, 2004 Daily vigils were organized around the port by OMJP. On the night of November 18, individuals unaffiliated with OMJP gathered around the port fence, cutting a large hole in it, prompting heightened security measures."Olympia Protests the Militarization of the Port, and the Iraq Occupation", Julie Frank, Portland IndyMedia, November 19, 2004"Building a Movement Against the Shipment of Weapons to Iraq", Peter Bohmer, ZNet, December 4, 2004 Some witnesses have claimed this breach in security prompted the USNS Cape Intrepid to leave early and without all its intended cargo, while the military maintains there was no disruption to its operations."The Ship Went Away… People Power Prevails" , Admin, Infoshop News, November 19, 2004
The following week, anti-war activists packed a meeting of the Port of Olympia Commissioners expressing opposition to the military shipments, only to discover the Commissioners had already decided to continue military shipments in the future."Public Split on Army's Port Use" , Jim Szymanski, The Olympian, November 23, 2004 Contracted vessels continued to ship equipment and munitions to Iraq through the Port of Olympia a few more times over the next several months. While each of these shipments were met with passive protest, no direct action occurred until May 2006.
Port of Olympia – May 2006
From May 22, 2006 until May 31, 2006, equipment belonging to the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, based out of Fort Lewis, was convoyed onto the Port of Olympia quay, to be loaded onto the USNS Pomeroy to be delivered to Iraq. This equipment included Stryker vehicles, as well as various munitions and unlabeled equipment. Despite prior shipments being met with passive protest, press accounts at the time indicate no resistance to the convoys were expected."Strykers file into port for shipment to Iraq" , Jim Szymanski, The Olympian, May 23, 2006
While some demonstrations and arrests occurred in the first two days, the first major actions occurred on 24 May. Several people lined across the road in a human chain, obstructing the path of a Stryker convoy. Several participants reported they were mishandled by police."Account of Arrest at Port" , Nikki Miller, May 24, 2006 A detour was forced when Olympia police proved unable to move one of the blockade participants, Ultimate Fighting champion Jeff Monson, out of the street., Wally Cuddeford, June 12, 2006 The second attempt to enter the port quay was successful after Olympia police parted a line of protesters linked with PVC pipes."Throwing a Wrench in the War Machine: Olympia SDS is Born of the Struggle at the Port of Olympia" , Brendan Dunn, Next Left Notes
The protests, blockade attempts, and arrests continued sporadically for the next several days. Tent cities were established near the port grounds. Protesters reportedly kept constant watch on the port grounds, even after the Strykers finished convoying in. During this time, participants report being followed by police, even away from the scene of the protest.
The protests intensified on 29 May as participants expected the USNS Pomeroy to arrive that evening. After night fell, protesters lined along the Port of Olympia fence and began shaking it. Police then deployed pepper spray into the crowd on two occasions. Demonstrators then marched through downtown Olympia before breaking up for the night.
At 4:00 pm on 30 May, several demonstrators, many of them masked, gathered at a busy intersection in Olympia. From this intersection, the crowd marched to the front gate of the Port of Olympia, chanting "Port of Olympia! Tear it down! Port of Olympia! Tear it down!" Members of the crowd tore down the front gate of the port, and several people ran in and laid down in the entranceway. Police jabbed participants with batons, and maced several more before arresting those who would not disperse. 22 people were arrested."Tear It Down", Wally Cuddeford, OlyBlog, June 6, 2006 Many other demonstrators remained near the port the remainder of the evening, draping banners on the public port watchtower and building an art display around it. The police attacked the crowd again that evening with pepper spray and rubber bullets. One individual was reportedly struck with a Taser.
In the late afternoon of 31 May, the USNS Pomeroy departed the Port of Olympia for Iraq with all its cargo aboard. Protesters staged a die-in on the bank of Budd Inlet, and shared final words in wrapping the May 2006 Port of Olympia protests to a close. There were no arrests nor any reports of police actions that day."Ship Leaves Olympia Amid Protesters' Finale" , Scott Gutierrez, The Olympian, June 1, 2006
A total of 37 arrests were made during the May 2006 round of port protests."Olympia 22 Win Initial Court Battle: First Iraq War Protest Case To Be Allowed To Argue 'Defense of Necessity'", Works In Progress, November 2006 The estimated cost of security for the port was just over $14,000. As of March 2007, it was not yet decided whether the bill would be covered by the military, the city of Olympia, or the Port of Olympia."Port May Get Bill for Police Presence", Matt Batcheldor, The Olympian, March 9, 2007
Supporters and critics of Port Militarization Resistance alike see the protests at the Port of Olympia in May 2006 as setting the stage for all future port protests. This round is cited as being the origin of Port Militarization Resistance, as well as that of the Olympia chapter of Students for a Democratic Society, based at the Evergreen State College.
Port of Tacoma – March 2007
Beginning March 2, 2007, Stryker vehicles and other equipment from the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, based out of Fort Lewis, was convoyed onto the grounds of the Port of Tacoma, to be loaded onto the Iraq-bound USNS Soderman. Protests began on the Port of Tacoma grounds late at night on March 3/4, and concluded the afternoon of March 15, two days after the USNS Soderman's departure. Protests largely happened in the middle of the night, as the military chose to run its convoys at night instead of during the day.
After the May 2006 protests concluded, many people anticipated and announced that similar protests would coincide with the next major war shipment leaving Fort Lewis. Many of these announcements were made even before the time and location of these shipments had been announced."Remarks to City Council" , Carrie Lybecker, June 6, 2006"War Activists Plan New Round of Port Protests", Christian Hill, The Olympian, February 26, 2007 Port Militarization Resistance organizers expected the shipments to return through the Port of Olympia."Port Militarization Resistance: We Must Act Locally and Directly To Stop the US Occupation of Iraq", Molly Gibbs, Works In Progress, March 2007
The first major incident of the Port of Tacoma protests occurred the night of March 4, when three PMR organizers were arrested by police. Of them, one had been shot with a rubber bullet at point blank range, and another had been struck with a Taser three times as he was pinned down."PMR Press Release #4" , Port Militarization Resistance, March 5, 2007