Councilman not charged in Tacoma port protest
By Matt Batcheldor
The olympian, A1
March 16, 2007
http://www.theolympian.com/101/story/70634.html

TACOMA - Olympia City Councilman TJ Johnson won't face charges for his
role in protests Sunday against a military shipment at the Port of
Tacoma bound for Iraq.

Prosecutors declined to bring charges against him and 11 others during
an arraignment Thursday afternoon in Tacoma Municipal Court. But they
charged 11 other protesters Thursday with refusing to obey a flagman, a
misdemeanor.

Each pleaded not guilty. They are scheduled to appear at a pre-trial
hearing April 24 in Tacoma Municipal Court.

A woman who was arrested for allegedly failing to allow a search of her
car Saturday also was not charged Thursday.

The prosecutor at the arraignment wouldn't give his name or explain why
some were charged and others weren't.

Those charged include eight people who were arrested for bringing a bag
or backpack into a no-backpack zone designated by Tacoma Police.

Johnson said there was no physical barrier marking the zone.

But three others who were charged Thursday had done the same thing as
those who weren't charged: stepped across a police line one by one to
deliver a "citizens injunction" calling for an end to a shipment bound
for Iraq. Johnson did so and wasn't charged.

"I think it's interesting that they're choosing to prosecute some people
but not others for ... the same infraction," Johnson said.

Lawrence Hildes, a lawyer representing the 11 charged, was similarly
baffled. "It makes no sense to me," he said. "You better believe we're
going to be filing selective-prosecution motions."

Molly Gibbs, one of the protesters arrested but not charged, said it's a
call for people who oppose the war to work to stop it.

"I think there's going to be an opportunity for the community to be
involved," she said. "If you're not out here getting arrested, you can
help in numerous ways."

*Read samples of emails sent to Olympia city council members about
councilman TJ Johnson. <http://www.theolympian.com/101/story/70718.html>*

*A list of who was and wasn't charged Thursday
<http://www.theolympian.com/101/story/70719.html>*