Breaking news: Protesters take over WA State Capitol

[Update Thursday morning from Sandra Vanderven at the protest:

There are more people who are willing to keep the occupation going tonight, and it isn’t unreasonable to think you’ll get away with it as we did.  I would be very happy if you wanted to join up with the various organizations that are making things rock down here.  If there’s a volunteer who wants to put car pools together, please drop me a line and we can get you set up to arrange it.

In case the state government issues have escaped your view, there is a budget process going on that is going to kick people off of health care, and hurt the poor and vulnerable in so many other ways, yet there are unconscionable tax breaks to the rich and the corporate which are going unscathed.  Our legislators insist there’s nothing they can do about it, and to that we say, “no excuses.”

Come on down, smuggle in a sleeping bag.  It will be a good time.

Sandra VanderVen
MoveOn Regional Organizer

 

]

Carol Davidek-Waller reports, “I just got a message from Sandra Vanerven of Move On that the hundreds of people have occupied the Capitol Rotunda in WA. The stranger concurs. http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2011/04/06/protesters-occupy-capitol-rotunda-arrests-being-made.  Civil disobedience is what is left. Sandra has asked us to post the information on our facebook pages.”

The background to this protest is the passage last November of a regressive and unconstitutional anti-tax initiative, I-1053, which restricts the ability of legislators not only to raise taxes, but also to eliminate the many tax exemptions that riddle Washington State’s tax system.  Most voters almost certainly were unaware of the provisions in the initiative that favor the super-rich over the poor and middle class.

The Seattle P-I and The Stranger and DailyKos too are reporting that protesters angry about budget cuts and about tax breaks for the super-rich are staying overnight at the Capitol Building in Olympia.  Reportedly, the Governor instructed police not to arrest them.

Another friend wrote, “Marylea and I took the week off to be involved in the week of action at the Capitol.  We were in the Rotunda with the demonstrators and left about 7 pm to go start editing video footage. We have been shooting video of the rallies at the Capitol this week.  Hope that you can all come to Olympia tomorrow and Friday to support a fair budget.  —
Solidarity!”

Reportedly, police have refused to allow pizza to be delivered to the protesters.  Starving them!