On Monday, about 100 people attempted to stop the unloading of the Zim Chicago ship, part of Israel’s largest cargo company .
But after a struggle with police on bicycles, protestors were edged toward the sidewalk along the Port of Seattle gates, allowing longshoremen to enter for work.
A Port of Seattle spokesperson said business was not delayed.
One protestor was arrested as police pushed the line of people out of the street.
“We are in solidarity, we are willing to take to the streets, we are willing to disrupt business with Israel,” said Nada Elia, a protest organizer.
Elia said even though they did not succeed in stopping the unloading of the ship, she said their message got out.
She said she wants to stand with Palestinians whose rights are being oppressed by Israel and who continue to be killed in large numbers.
When asked whether both sides in the conflict have contributed to the violence, Elia said, “There is a legal right to resistance; there is no right to collective punishment.”
Craig Corrie, whose daughter Rachel was killed by an Israeli bulldozer in 2003, said, “I have friends in Gaza, who are really under terrible attack, and they’re just families.”
Corrie said he knows people on both sides who are suffering. He and others at the protest told KIRO 7 this attempt to disrupt Israeli business is part of a strategy to target where the money is.
“Making some sort of economic cost to Israeli citizens – and maybe they can go back to their country and say ‘no, wait a minute. There needs to be a different strategy here,’” he said.
Longshoremen are expected to be unloading cargo throughout the night. The Zim Chicago will depart the Port of Seattle on Tuesday.
Protestors gathered enough money to bail out their friend who was arrested. They said they will coordinate for future protests of Israeli ships coming to port.
