One person was arrested in an
Occupy demonstration Tuesday afternoon outside the downtown offices of the Export Grain Terminal (EGT) in the World Trade Center building,
part of protests that shut down three Port of Portland terminals the day before. Troy Thompson, 40, was booked on one count of criminal trespass in the second degree, his second arrest this month in connection with Occupy Portland.
The building, located on Southwest Salmon Street, was locked by security in anticipation of the approximately 30 demonstrators who showed. Thompson was found inside the building. After being asked to leave, he sat down and told building security and officers they would have to arrest him, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) reports.
Thompson was previously arrested Dec. 3 after allegedly climbing onto the roof of Portland City Hall.
Tuesday’s protest was in solidarity with Longshore workers in a months-long bitter dispute regarding a $200 million grain terminal at the Port of Longview, which is
run by EGT. Since July, the International Longshoreman and Warehouse Union (ILWU) has been protesting the right of its members to work at the terminal. EGT hired another firm to run the terminal that it staffed with workers from a different union, Oregon-based Operating Engineers Local 701
In October, the ILWU ratified a deal with the Pacific Northwest Grain Elevator Operators (PNGEO), which operates six grain export terminals in the Northwest. That deal excluded the Longview terminal.
At least 213 arrests have been made since the Longview protests began.
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Faris Tanyos
