Tacoma SDS

Critical Mass in June is on! Meet up at the corner N 9th St and N Madison St. Not sure where to go? Check out the magical Google Maps: link

But what is Critical Mass?

Critical Mass bike rides are spontaneous, leaderless rides that begin at specific times and locations in various cities around the world. Since no one organizes the rides, the rides have no agreed agenda or demands. They aren’t a protest. Instead, when we ride on Critical Mass, we’re living the world we would like to see–filling the streets with bikes, laughter, human speed, clean air, engagement and life. At Critical Mass, we can bike down the street safe from speeding cars–together–empowered by our numbers. Critical Mass is a celebration.

Critical Mass rides sometimes enrage car drivers because bike traffic competes with car traffic for space on the road. Cars have their critical mass 29 days of the month when bikes get crowded out. It’s called rush hour! Critical Mass is a single day when bike traffic briefly outnumbers car traffic. Maybe in 50 years, bikes will outnumber cars everyday. As concerns about global warming increase, people are searching for alternatives like bikes. A community of cyclists is developing–demanding respect and some space on the road.

The government of Peru has ordered for the National Police to attack the Amazonian Indigenous peoples. Civilians were shot from buildings roofs and helicopters.

More than 38 people have died so far at 2:00 PM U.S. Eastern time, including 28 civilians and 10 police men -who are also Indigenous. Hospitals collapsing, fights ongoing. Update: now 84 dead people at 6:00 PM US Eastern time.

To Victor Agosto, Ft. Hood, Texas:

'You will deploy in support of OEF on or about [XXXXX] with 57th ESB. This is a direct order from your Company Commander CPT Michael J. Pederson.'

In a photo taken at Under the Hood Café in Killeen, Texas, Victor Agosto stands soldier tall, flanked by two older women peace activists from Fort Worth. Victor doesn’t talk a lot, but when he does he reveals a resolve and intelligence that seems far older than his 23 years.

Protesters are resisting the US Military surge in Afghanistan by blocking Stryker Vehicles bound for the Port of Tacoma for shipment overseas.

May 3, 2009 Tacoma, WA – Activists staged a series of successful direct actions in several locations on the night of May 2, blocking striker vehicles bound for the Port of Tacoma from Fort Lewis. Blockades halted strikers at several points along Interstate 5, and 11 activists were arrested. Demonstrators have pledged to continue resisting the use of the port for war shipments.

Saturday night, May 2nd, Port Militarization Resistance (PMR) folks gathered at 21st and Pacific Avenue in Downtown Tacoma, successfully taking Pacific Avenue over and marched to the Pierce County Jail where the intersection of 9th and Tacoma Ave was occupied for about 15 minutes by a bad ass Coup sound track. Photos coming soon (please post if you have any!)

No downtown arrests as of 2:40am.

LAKEWOOD, WA -- As citizens converge on Fort Lewis to resist the deployment of Stryker vehicles to Iraq and Afghanistan, police have stepped up their interference with the legal activities of activists and bystanders. As of 11:40 pm, police have stopped numerous vehicles and detained and questioned their drivers and passengers.

LAKEWOOD, WA -- A Stryker brigade has begun deployment to Afghanistan from Fort Lewis tonight, Friday, May 1, 2009. Olympia Port Militarization Resistance (PMR) and Tacoma PMR are organizing blockades and coordinating direct action in order to delay or completely halt the deployment.

Strykers, also known as 'IAV Stryker' vehicles, are the primary mechanized tools used by ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. PMR seeks to prevent the shipment of Strykers and other military equipment through the use of direct acts, such as blockades.

As the Obama administration continues the war on Iraq and escalates the war in Afghanistan, opposition to U.S. imperialism only becomes more urgent, especially in the face of the failure of politicians to bring the wars to an end. Citizens who oppose U.S.-sponsored violence abroad are left with one option: to physically block the war machine. PMR actions put direct economic strain on the governments that support these wars and place direct social pressure on the politicians that continue them. At a time when rampant foreclosures affect families across the nation and the federal government still chooses to increase the military budget for these wars of occupation, it is up to our communities to resist US imperialism.

Port Militarization Resistance formed in May 2006, after a series of non-violent blockades delayed the shipment of Stryker vehicles leaving the Port of Olympia for Iraq. In 2007, PMR was involved with protests against the use of public ports to transport military vehicles to Iraq from Tacoma and Aberdeen. At the end of 2007, a Stryker brigade returning to Ft. Lewis from Iraq was blockaded at the Port of Olympia, the longest blockade lasting 17 hours. In August of 2008, PMR blockaded military equipment returning from Iraq at three different entrances to Ft. Lewis.

When we see movement, we will issue and ALERT. This is a WATCH. This load-out will likely involve convoys of Slat-Armored Strykers with markings like "5-2ID" visible on the Yellow rectangles on the (front and rear) LEFT side of the vehicle's bumpers. (more below)

What we know:

The Port of Tacoma will be the preferred Port of the 833rd Transportation Battalion. They will likely NOT use Olympia again for the foreseeable future.

The 833rd is an Army Unit which handles shipping of military weapons and vehicles and containers.

The Port of Tacoma is preparing once again to serve as the strategic deployment platform for the 5th Brigade/ 2nd Infantry Division Strykers to Afghanistan.

Preparations for this deployment are well underway and coordination between the Port of Tacoma, City of Tacoma, Regional Intelligence Group and the US Army are nearly complete.

A resource tool has been developed and will be updated as more information is collected and processed. This tool is a product of the "Action Fusion Center - Salish Sea Region" (AFC-SSR).

The permanent link is here: http://tinyurl.com/cmtdyg

ICE released the much overdue solicitation for the next NWDC contract on 20 April (Hitler's Birthday).

The current contract expires on the 23rd so a modification and extension of the current contract are required for
continued operation until this contract is let to the new operator.

The full solicitation can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/dkgkvp

The Government will conduct a Pre-proposal Conference on April 29, 2009 at 9:00A.M., 24000 Avila Road, Room TBD, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677.