It’s getting rough out there.
Roy San Filippo, spokesman for the ILWU, said the violence began Wednesday afternoon when police pepper-sprayed, struck Longshoremen with clubs and “manhandled” ILWU President Robert McEllrath after the union members blocked a train on its way into the EGT Terminal at the Port of Longview. Police arrested 19 Longshoremen on Wednesday.
Sue Baur Cowlitz County prosecutor, said the 19 were booked for criminal trespass in the second degree, which carries a maximum sentence of 90 days.
“If he [McEllrath] was one of the crowd that surged forward, some of them were sprayed. When it’s 400 against 20, what are you going to do?” Duscha said. He said he didn’t know anything about reports that police had hit protesters with clubs.
When the men stormed the terminal Thursday morning, police were “not surprised,” Duscha said. “A lot of the protesters were telling us this is only the start.”
One police sergeant was threatened with a baseball bat and retreated, Duscha said. “One officer with hundreds of Longshoremen? He used the better part of discretion.”
Fred Klonsky 