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The following news items, when viewed individually, appear at first glance to be irrational actions, or simply isolated events. When viewed as a whole, they point to large areas of discontent and general patterns of activity. Some represent the fact that there are a variety of ways to attack the current social order, whether that be vandalizing development sites, or the destruction of goverment buildings. Also when the police kill dozens of people a year across a few states, the bad apples excuse hardly applies. We don't think that these activities simply need to grow in quantity; what needs to happen is a mass challenge to the current system, not only through direct physical attacks on institutions, but also through the transformation of social relations.

2007

May 2 Olympia, Washington- Today it was reported that a Griswald's building on 4th Avenue is being occupied by anarchists. They published a statement reading, in part: "Private property and wage slavery are two aspects of capitalism which ensure homelessness and poverty...We do not want more reform or more legislation, we do not want less government or better government; we want no government at all." The full text can be found at:
www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20070502100202711

2006

November 8 Lynnwood, WA- An arsonist is suspected of targeting three homes under construction causing $200,000 in damage.

October 6 Spokane, Washington- A 65-year-old retired Los Angeles firefighter has been arrested and charged with second-degree arson in connection with a February 23rd, 2003 fire that burned an office building under construction in the Spokane Valley. The Spokane Rock Products fire occurred in the early morning hours and was the subject of controversy in the neighborhood. The asphalt production facility was opposed by the residents in the area. DeVarney had attended meetings of an organized group of neighbors who opposed the project. Damages at the time of the fire were estimated at $400,000.

October 5 Seattle, Washington- A bike policeman stole a red and black flag from someone at a rally organized under the name "World Can't Wait" by the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP). Anarchists and others followed that policeman towards a congregation of more policeman and their vehicles on a side street near the rally. A confrontation ensued and three people were arrested. The RCP march managers tried to diffuse the conflict, telling people to go back to the rally. Some were again shocked by the behaviors of the police. While the claim of the policeman that they had a tip the flag would be used as "a signal" is absurd and possibly fabricated, it should also be no suprise that the police will do whatever they want, whenever they want, as long as we let them. Power validates itself through its own force. It cares little about validation from those it undermines.

October 5 Portland, Oregon- On a national day of protest against the Bush administration, organized under the name World Can't Wait by the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP), the police brutally attacked the people with bean bag guns, pepper spray, rubber bullets, horses and billy clubs. This was in addition to the "peace" policing of the RCP themselves. Reports on the day's demonstration expressed suprise and shock at the actions of the police.

There should be no confusion as to the role and capabilities of the police in managing social unrest, no matter how tame. Likewise, it should be clear that the RCP, disgusting purveyors of state reform that they are, assisted the state in doing so, no matter how absurd that concept may seem to the rest of us.

October 4 Tacoma, Washington- Two cooperating defendants in the Green Scare cases plead guilty to charges relating to the UW Horticulture arson of 2001, as well as other charges. Lacey Phillabaum and Jennifer Kolar have been cooperating with the government since arrests began early last year and are expected to testify in the trials of some of the non-cooperating defendants.

Kolar plead guilty to 4 counts so far, including an attempted arson of a hunting club in Colorado as well as the arson at the UW Horticultural Research Center. Phillabaum plead guilty to the arson at the UW Horticulture, conspiracy and an incendiary device charge. Her recommended sentence is 3-5 years. Justin Solandz' name was mentioned several times during the factual statement of the plea, and the extent of her cooperation was very expansive, including wearing wires and continuing to cooperate with the feds post-incarceration. The transcript will be ordered and disseminated soon. Sentencing is set for January 5, 2006 but may be postponed.

October 1 Hilt, California (near the Oregon border)- Someone caused $500,000 in damage to the equipment of Hilltop Logging Inc., a Medford, Oregon logging company. The initials of the Earth Liberation Front were scrawled in the dust on some of the machines. Dirt and debris was put into fuel tanks; hoses, lines and belts were sawed through; and computer equipment ripped from log loaders and machines designed to shear trees and delimb them. The company was working on about 150 acres of pine and Douglas fir just south of the Oregon border. It is expected the company will be out of operation until the beginning of next year.

Commenting on the eco-saboteur connection, a detective with the Siskiyou County sheriff's office said, "we really don't have any reason to be looking in that direction right now. It's not real consistent with what we've seen in the past." The lie is only as useful to the extent that people believe it. It's painfully obvious that however did this had the intent to destroy these machines. The police, when acting as spokespeople for the good rule of law, often deny any willful intention when it comes to sabotage, hoping to gloss over the human ability for initiative and downplay a disregard for legality.

September 29 Bend, OR- Vandals used rocks to smash out the windows of various businesses and company cars in southwest Bend. The windows of a realty company, title company and a bank were among those smashed.

September 11 Seattle, WA- In Ballard, someone torched one building of a four unit townhome complex. According to news reports many neighbors weren't very happy about the units being built. The fire caused $100,000 in damage. News stories also stated that many construction contractors are now having a very hard time obtaining insurance because of the number of attacks against development.

August 24 Kent, WA- Someone used a pellet or BB gun to shoot out six windows at the Kent Municipal/South District court house overnight.

August 15 St. Helens, OR- On August 13 several police officers broke up a party of teenagers and one was arrested. That night, a large piece of wood was thrown through a police station window. Later in the week, police discovered at least three Molotov cocktails thrown at the police building. Police have arrested 15-year-old and a 17-year-old. Both teens face several charges.

August 14 Lakewood, WA- Police suspect that arson was responsible for the destruction of a mansion on Lake America.

July 14 Seattle, WA- Two unfinished townhouses were set on fire in the Wallinford area, causing $1 million damage. Unfortunately the fire harmed one person who lived in a house adjacent to the development.

June 28 Bellevue, WA- Two fiberglass statues of bucks decorated by Northwest artists were badly damaged by vandals just a week after they were put on display in Bellevue's downtown streets. The statues are part of a fundraising effort called "Bucks for PACE," which is an effort to build a 2,000-seat performance hall and regional cultural center. One can imagine that this "cultural" center will be just as vapid and inane as the statues and downtown Bellevue itself.

June 26 Salem, OR- A backhoe belonging to River City Excavation was burned after being covered with glue by vandals while parked at Commercial Street and Wiltsey Road SE. Damage was estimated at $20,000. Darren Hendren, the owner of River City Excavation, said the vandals might have been upset about a recent development in the area that required trees to be cleared. Is anyone really surprised at this point?

June 25 Ashland, OR- David Fagan's American flag motif Hummer H2 has been constantly pelted with food and drink. Most recently, vandals started tearing off one of the vehicle's rear panels. Sunday night someone put a hole in its windshield.

June 24 Bainbridge Island, WA- A two-story luxury home under construction in the Battle Point area was burned to the ground overnight. The house was 60% complete, and had a price tag of $2.9 million. This is the second major arson attack against luxury homes this year; the first occured in January.

June 20 West Linn, OR- Police are investigating vandalism and an arson attempt at City Hall. Someone threw a rock through a plate glass window outside the city council chambers and then tried to throw a molotov cocktail through the hole, but they failed.

June 20 Walla Walla, WA- A roughly four-hour lapse in Charter Communications' cable and Internet service was the work of a vandal who severed a fiber optic line. Workers discovered the loss in service was due to a severed fiber located about 10 miles from Charter's Kennewick head. It is one of 184 fibers that run between Walla Walla and the Tri-Cities.

June 19 Portland, OR- Dozens of Portland Police officers, some in riot gear, confronted a large group of young people outside a northeast Portland bowling alley Monday night. Police estimate up to 300 people were in the crowd, which they say became unruly when officers asked the crowd to disperse. Officers reported some in the crowd had firearms and other weapons, and nearby cars and businesses suffered broken windows and other damage during the confrontation.

June 19 Saanich, BC- Saanich cops say they arrested 12 teens on the night of June 17 after rocks and bottles were thrown at them when they responded to noise complaints about a graduation party in a park. The teens, arrested on "preventative" charges of public liquor consumption and breach of the peace, were released to their parents or guardians

June 14 Sisters, OR- Nicholas Patterson, was found "guilty except for insanity" for setting fire to a McDonald's that was under construction and has been committed to the Oregon State Hospital for up to two decades. The fire erupted during a controversy over fast-food chains in Sisters, with many residents saying such restaurants clash with the character of the city.

Patterson, a guitarist, was scheduled to perform at a benefit that night for Sri Lankan victims of the December 2004 tsunami. Instead, he started the fire that caused more than $860,000 in damages. Patterson, now 24, will stay at the state hospital in Salem until the Oregon Psychiatric Security Review Board agrees to his release or transfer. The state's psychiatrists and judges have condemned this man to a horrible life inside its psychiatric prisons. Direct action, in this case, was invalidated by treating it as a psychological abberation.

June 11 Eugene, OR- Suzanne Swift, 21, who refused to deploy with her Army unit to Iraq for a second tour has been arrested and will be returned to Fort Lewis. Swift was listed as AWOL late last year, and her unit left for Iraq without her. She did not want to return because of the war and the way she was belittled, called names and frequently propositioned.

June 11 Spokane, WA- Spokane County Sheriff's Department deputies say an inmate was found dead in his cell after he refused to eat and take his medications for days. Gerar C. Leake, 50, of Spokane was serving a 358-day sentence for habitually driving with a suspended license and obstructing a police investigation.

June 10 Littlerock, WA- Cedar Creek Corrections Center, a minimum-security prison, was under lockdown after inmates broke several windows in a dispute over cleaning up fecal matter that had been thrown in a guard's office. Apparently the incident started when someone hadn't received their mail on time and decided to take matters into their own hands. In this case it was fecal matter...

June 7 Fort Lewis, WA- First Lt. Ehren Watada has declared his intentions to no longer participate in the Iraq war. Watada is a member of the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, the Army's first Stryker Brigade Combat Team. HE could be court-martialed if he refuses to serve as ordered.

June 6 Seattle, WA- Around 2 a.m. sheriff's deputy pulled over a man who was driving erratically. When the man got out of his car he assaulted the officer, then returned to his car whereupon he was somehow shot.

June 2 Fort St. John, BC- According to the corporate media, 13 men and seven women were arrested in the northern British Columbia town of Fort St. John on the night of June 2 after rocks, bottles and firebombs were thrown at police who showed up at a house party. The cops say they are reviewing video footage of the clash and plan to lay more charges.

May 30 Olympia, WA- In further protests of the shipment of military supplies to Iraq, a contingent of protesters tore down the front fence of the port, and some rocks and bottles were thrown at police. The majority of the protesters, however, passively resisted.

May 29 Olympia, WA- Shipments of Stryker patrol vehicles were routinely disrupted last week through a variety of methods including blockades, civil disobedience and lockdowns, which resulted in the arrests of 16 people. On the night of May 29, the USNS Pomeroy entered the port of Olympia for the loading of the vehicles and a large protest was held. Several people were pepper sprayed by the police for banging and shaking the gate to the port as well as trying to pry it open with a steel pole.

May 20 Bellingham, WA- A party near the campus of Western Washington University involving around 300 students got out of hand. Neighbors called the police, and when the cops arrived, they were pelted with bottles for over an hour. One person was arrested and is facing charges.

May 19 Chewelah, WA- A man who said he was being chased by three people trying to kill him died in a burst of gunfire after a police officer and a Stevens County sheriff's deputy responded to a 911 call. Donald L. Hobrecht, 47, ran to a neighbor's house to say he was being attacked and then hid in the closet. When police arrived at the house, they shot and killed Hobrecht. His neighbor told the Seattle P-I: "I thought everything was going to be OK after the deputy arrived, like it was a relief he was safe," and "I didn't expect that to happen."

May 16 Bremerton, WA- After being called to a home for a domestic dispute, two police shot and killed a 26-year-old man who ran at them with a machete.

May 16 Tacoma, WA- Around 200 logging truckers held a rally protesting high gas prices and the lack of a cost of living raise. All are independent contractors and are employed by major logging companies.

May 8 Portland, OR- A solidarity demonstration was held at the Mexican Consulate in downtown against the repression in San Salvador Atenco. Thirty people attended the demonstration. More Info and Pictures

May 2 Lacey, WA- New homes in the Horizon Pointe development in Lacey (outside of Olympia) were vandalized. Bleach and other corrosive chemicals were poured on the floors, paint was splattered across the walls, windows were smashed, and graffiti including a circle A was left at the site.

May 1 Seattle, WA- A massive march took place in Seattle against HR 4437 that included at least 20,000 participants. It began in Central and ended at the federal building downtown. The event was overwhelmingly latino, but also included many white, asian, black and african people as well. Many local businesses were forced to shut down because their workers took part, and much of downtown looked desolate. This is only the beginning.

April 25 Vancouver, BC- Over 800 native and non-native people rallied in support of the Six Nations people in front of the Art Gallery in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Tuesday, April 25th, 2006. A hereditary chief of the Squamish/Salish Nation, Ian Campbell, opened the rally. After the speeches, they sang, drummed and danced traditionally. Then they marched with giant warrior flags, wearing red shirts and red arm bands to downtown Vancouver to Stanley Park. Several hundred walked onto the First Narrows Bridge and blocked it for a short time.

April 25 Seattle, WA- Police shot and killed a belligerent man armed with a revolver in Capitol Hill.

April 24 N'Quatqua reserve, BC- Members of the St'at'imc Nation set up a blockade of Portage Road to stop the planned logging of more than 85 hectares of forest in traditional territory by CRB Logging and the N'Quatqua Logging Company. The sole shareholder of the N'Quatqua Logging Company is band council Chief Harry O'Donaghey. More than 80 percent of the N'Quatqua band voted no to the planned logging. Deer, spotted owls, wolves, grizzly bears, lynx, water, medicinal plants, ceremonial sites and the St'at'imc cycle of life are threatened by the logging, say the blockaders.

April 22 Neskonlith Reserve, Secwepemc Territory, BC- The Secwepemc Native Youth Movement (NYM) has set up an information picket along the Trans Canada Highway at Neskonlith Reserve, 5 KM west of Chase, BC to show solidarity with the Six Nations occupation near Caledonia, Ontario. The Secwepemc NYM set up camp and posted billboards, banners and Warrior flags to get the message out to the 10,000+ travellers per day that drive this highway. The billboards read: "Stop OPP Terrorism" and "OPP out of SIX NATIONS."

April 5 Kelso, WA- A police radar truck, which tows a portable speed monitor, had its tires slashed overnight. On the Longview, WA "Daily News Online" several user comments suggested support for the action due to the truck's obnoxious presence.

April 5 Grants Pass, OR- Vandals destroyed the historic Mount Sexton fire lookout and three Oregon Department of Forestry repeater antennas. A fire also was started inside a building owned by Freedom Communications (owner of television station KTVL Channel 10). Nearly $500,000 in damage was done.

March 31 Lynnwood, WA- For the second day in a row, dozens of students walked out of Lynwood High School in opposition to the US government's attempt to further criminalize migrants (HR 4437).

March 30 Kent, WA- Dozens of students walked out of a local high school in protest of HR 4437.

March 30 Granger, WA- Students at Granger High School were prevented from walking out in protest of HR 4437; adminstrators encouraged them to go through the proper (read pacified and non-conflictual) channels.

March 28 Bellevue, WA- A police officer in Bellevue shot and killed a man who was walking to his car along the highway. Paul Moss, a construction worker, had run out of gas and was attempting to refill his car. Moss had not appeared in court for a felony theft charge, and had a warrant out for his arrest. This fact has allowed the police department to justify his death.

March 27 Yakima, WA- Hundreds of high school students walked out in protest of HR 4437. The protest was primarily organized via myspace.

March 20 Portland, OR- Portland officer unable to handcuff an agitated man lying on Sandy Boulevard Monday shocked him twice with a Taser stun gun held to his back and neck. Tim W. Grant, 46, of Medford then went into cardiac arrest and died a short time later.

March 15 Vancouver, BC- To mark the International Day Against Police Brutality, about 50 people marched down Hastings Street from Victory Square to the cop shop on Main Street. An unmarked police vehicle were pelted with many eggs and a journalist who was attacked as well. The Main Street police station was hit with a bunch of paint-bombs and a bottle was thrown at the court building next to the police station.

March 11 Salem, OR- Three newly-constructed upscale homes were vandalized with pro-environmental slogans which read: "Stop building ant farms," "E.L.F.," "Rent is theft," "Viva E.L.F." and "Don't kill my air." Additionally, a window was broken.

March 1 Renton, WA- A 24-year-old electrical worker was killed and another burned Wednesday night while working on an underground vault in Renton.

February 23 Olympia, WA- Two people have been arrested today in Olympia in connection with the May 2001 arson at a tree farm in Clatskanie, OR. A federal grand jury in Eugene, Ore., today returned two separate 14-count indictments charging Nathan Fraser Block, 24, and Joyanna L. Zacher, 28. Both were arrested today in Olympia, where they live.

February 19 Puyallup, WA- A Pierce County cop had a rock thrown through his window from an overpass.

February 8 Portland, OR- Police Chief Derrick Foxworth announced that all on-duty Portland police officers will this year be issued taser guns. These weapons shoot two barbed fish hooks into the body, causing a 50,000-volt, 5-second stream of electricity. Stun guns enable police to inflict severe physical pain in order to get compliance, allowing law enforcement another powerful tool of submission. They have also been implicated in many deaths across the country since they have come into use.

February 8 Kirkland, WA- Fires were set at a portable classroom at Finn Hill Junior High School, causing extensive damage. Another smaller fire was started in a trash bin at Thoreau Elementary School, just a few blocks away.

January 18, Medford, OR- On January 17, environmental activist Jonathan Paul was arrested. On January 18, he was charged with alledgedly helping firebomb a horse slaughter house and meat packing plant in Redmond, Oregon, in 1997. Activist Suzanne Savoie was also charged today for allegedly serving as a lookout in the 2001 firebombing at the offices of the Superior Lumber Mill in Glendale, Oregon.

January 17, Coupeville, WA- A fire completely destroyed a three-story Camano Island home still under construction. The damage was around $3 million. Firefighters responding to the fire found a bed sheet draped across a masonry gate in front of the house. The sheet was spray-painted with a threatening message associated with an environmental cause, though investigators refuse to disclose the actual message. Local media reported thirty-five agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were on-site to investigate the fire.

January 4, Seattle, WA- During the night, shots were fired at police in the Central District near Garfield High School. It was reported that eight shots were fired and the suspects ran. Officers gave chase and were searching for the suspects. Police arrested one man.

January 4, Portland, OR- A deputy shot and killed 28-year-old Dennis Young, who was parked and asleep in a stolen car. Upon being awoken, he tried to drive away, wrecking the car, and was then tazered and then shot to death.

January 1, Northwest British Columbia- Cops looking for trouble on a Tsimshian Nation reserve found it when an RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) Sergeant ended up with a black eye and broken glasses after putting a Native woman in a headlock at the Kitsumkalum Community Hall on New Year's Eve. A young man was un-arrested by his mother and a police car was hit and kicked when it came dangerously close to hitting two young men. One Tsimshian woman suffered a fractured nose and bruises all over her head at the hands of the RCMP, and another was pepper-sprayed in the eyes, but the cops left the reserve without making any arrests.

2005

December 30 Seattle, WA-A fire was set at a condo complex in the Interbay neighborhood causing $175,000. This development was strongly opposed by area residents.

December 30, Eugene, OR- Unknown persons set two fires at the North Eugene High School causing damage to the gym and a hallway leading to it. Many high school students despise the routines and disciplines of schooling, not to mention the teaching of competitiveness emphasized over health in gym class and at school games.

December 30, Federal Way, WA- A 39-year-old Kent man was killed Friday morning after a wall collapsed at a construction site in Federal Way. Another worker was injured and brought to the hospital.

December 26, Seattle, WA- A teenage boy died while he was at the King County Juvenile Detention Center. He was found incapacitated in his dorm room and was rushed to Harborview Medical Center where he later died.

December 14, Kenmore, WA- Two pieces of excavation equipment were burned overnight at a housing development, causing around $200,000 in damage. Apparently this is the second fire at this construction site since November. The earlier fire caused $50,000 in damage.

December 7, Portland, OR- Six people have been arrested in connection with acts of sabotage in Oregon and Washington dating back to 1998. People were arrested in the following cities: Portland (OR), Springfield (OR), Brooklyn (NY), Flagstaff (AZ), Prescott (AZ) and Charlotesville (VA). They are all facing serious charges, some with the possibility of life in prison. More Info

December 7, Portland, OR- Two Portland activists, Frank Winbigler and Shannon (Nonny) Urick, were served with papers ordering them to be witnesses for a federal Grand Jury, and were also advised that they are both a target of the Grand Jury's investigation. Nonny and Frank both have a long history of human, animal and environmental activism. More Info

November 30, Longview, WA- Police killed Kevin Wright, 39, with tasers after coworkers complained of combative behavior. Apparently he smashed a chair, and surprisingly the police did not calm him down, and instead they killed him.

November 29, Bothell, WA- A second attack occured against another construction site in this area. One piece of equipment was destroyed by fire.

November 25, Bothell, WA- Two pieces of construction equipment were destroyed by fire, causing more than $100,000 in damage.

November 3, Seattle, WA- A student walkout against the war in Iraq took place, involving around 1000 students from high schools and colleges across the city. Confrontations with security guards occurred at Seattle Central Community College.

 

 

Note on Security

Disclaimer: The news items above are for informational purposes only and are in no way intended to encourage, instruct, incite or promote illegal activity.