‘Until Every Officer is Down,’ Antifa Anarchists Sabotage Train in Olympia — Have Commune Raided By Police

via Twitter/OlyStand

Police have raided an Antifa encampment in Olympia, Washington, following a train being sabotaged by anti-fracking activists — but the anarchists claiming credit for the act have vowed to continue until “every officer is down.”

The train was reportedly shorted using jumper cables, causing the train to stop.

Since November 17, dozens of anarchists have been camping on the tracks to prevent trains from transporting fracking supplies from the Port of Olympia — however, railroad companies have stated that there were no such shipments scheduled.

On Wednesday, Union Pacific Railroad officers were met by 20 to 30 masked protesters as they cleared out the encampment and swept it for bombs. Four of the people who were camping on the tracks refused to leave and were subsequently arrested, as were eight others on suspicion of obstructing a law enforcement officer.

https://twitter.com/DemandUtopia/status/935904445434544128

According to a report from the Olympian, while the police were making arrests, more masked protesters arrived and began to confront the officers. A press release from the Olympia Police Department stated that following the incident, the Antifa group began to march through the streets downtown throwing beer kegs, dumping trash, blocking roads, and lighting recycling bins on fire. The situation became so aggressive that police were forced to use pepperballs and flash bangs to stop the chaos and destruction.

An anonymous Antifa member claimed credit for shorting the train track using jumper cables in a submission to the website Puget Sound Anarchists. Their statement read:

Dear Olympia commune,

Standing in solidarity with your port blockade preventing the transport of fracking supplies we temporarily shutdown train lines throughout the larger oakland area by shorting the track circuits with jumper cables. Stay strong.

In every single town,

Until every officer is down,Love and solidarity,The Bay

In response to police clearing the encampment, the anarchist group organizing the protests called for people to show up to a meeting between the Port and City of Olympia at the LOTT board room 500 Adams Street NE at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

According to a flowery and sympathetic report from the Washington Post, the group has no intention of ending their petulant — and dangerous — behavior.

 

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