Tacoma SDSPeter Ryan on Trial for Peacefully Protesting the US Occupation of Iraq
Monday, April 14, 2008 at 9:00am - Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at 4:30pm
Tacoma County-City Building
930 Tacoma Avenue South
Tacoma, WA
Contact InfoEmail:
peteryan@cox.net
On March 9, 2007, Peter was part of a crowd of peaceful protestors against the occupation of Iraq, and specifically the shipment of striker vehicles and other weapons from Ft. Lewis, through the Port of Tacoma, to Iraq to precede the troop surge.
Late that night (about 2am on March 10th), as with other nights throughout the 2-week-long protest, police opened fire with rubber bullets (considered "less-lethal" not "less than lethal") and tear gas without warning onto the group of about 75 peaceful protestors, many of whom, including Peter, were sitting on the ground singing "Give Peace a Chance," by John Lennon.
While choking for breath in a cloud of teargass, Peter was pushed onto the ground by police, bashing his head into the concrete, and arrested. He was searched and handcuffed without any advisory of his rights, and without any medical attention.
After a night in jail, his charges had been changed from "Tresspassing" (the protest was on public property), to "Obstruction," to Failure to Disperse" (which is the current charge) in less than 24 hours. For the past year, Peter, along with dozens of other peaceful protestors who were illegally arrested throughout the 2 weeks, has had to pay hundreds of dollars of legal fees and attend numerous court hearings, both for himself and as a witness for others. Now his trial is finally here over a year later.
Please come out to the court to support Peter in his trial. Support in the courtroom holds the court more accountable. Even just a half hour helps. This case goes beyond just Peter. This is about defending our first ammendment rights to peacefully protest the decisions of the government. Peter was basically arrested for opposing the US occupation of Iraq, which is illegal and immoral, no matter how you feel about the US involvement in Iraq.
Thank you for your support!
Comments
Peaceful and lawful are not synonamous
Public property including schools, libraries, roads and highways, have rules. Failure to follow these rules results in action. Sometimes that action includes Law Enforcement. When you chose the ground you’d like to fight on, you must understand the consequences of your actions. You must not expect sympathy from other pathetic supporters of your ignorant belief system.
Peaceful and lawful are not synonymous. They were given a LAWFUL ORDER to disperse at least twice, and were advised that the consequence for failing to disperse was arrest for Obstruction(for obstructing the flow of traffic) and Failure to Disperse (self explanatory). That he has incurred these costs are part of the responsibility he accepted for his behavior, not a part of a government conspiracy to punish. Each member of society should be held responsible for his/her own actions. I personally would like to see SDS pay the bill for the overtime incurred by the Olympia PD, and the drivers of the Trucks they blocked. That would be justice.