Anti-War Demonstrators Use Unique Defense During Tacoma Trial

A judge will allow anti-war demonstrators to use a unique defense during their trial in Tacoma.

Two women were arrested and charged with civil disobedience after they used their bodies to try to block Stryker vehicles outside Fort Lewis in August 2008. The vehicles were returning from Iraq through the Port of Tacoma and were on their way to be repaired at Fort Lewis.

The two women, Patricia Imani and Brianna Herrera, admit that they lay in the offramp from Interstate 5 in an effort to block the Strykers.

Both women said they should be found not guilty because they had to protest and although it was illegal, it prevented a greater harm.

“We have an obligation to resist, not just a right to resist. That is what these protests have been about since we started to do the human blockades against the Strykers,” Imani said.

“People have been against this war for over eight years and the fact that people came out to resist these wars and take responsibility and stop the crimes of their government, those are the people who should be supported,” Herrera said.

The judge just ruled that the women will be able to use the necessity defense.

“That our clients did what they did to prevent the commission of a greater harm,” said defense attorney Larry Hilde , referring to the Iraq War.

“I think this is exciting and this enables us to show that this act of civil resistance. Breaking a lesser law is very important to uphold higher laws,” Imani said.

On Thursday the defense is flying in Daniel Ellsberg to testify on their behalf. During the Vietnam War, Ellsberg turned over the Pentagon Papers to the New York Times. It was technically illegal, but the act of civil resistance turned public sentiment against the war.

“It's very important for the anti-war movement, it's very important for justice,” Hilde said.

The deputy prosecutor did not want to comment period.