By Rolf Boone
The Olympian
OLYMPIA, Wash. — The decision not to file charges in an officer-involved shooting of two black men continues to reverberate throughout the community in both peaceful and violent ways. Once again, the weekend provided examples of both.
On Sunday, about 100 people gathered for March for Mothers, which began at Sylvester Park and ended at Olympia City Hall. Instead of rocks, some of which were apparently thrown at City Hall on Saturday night, the group carried flowers and signs and set them in front of a damaged door at the city building. The group walked without incident down Capitol Way and Fourth Avenue before arriving at City Hall.
Although the gathering was called March for Mothers, it clearly was organized in response to the May shooting of two black men and last week’s decision by the Thurston County prosecutor not to charge Olympia Police Officer Ryan Donald in the shooting, and instead charge Andre Thompson and Bryson Chaplin with two counts of second-degree assault. Chaplin also will face a fourth-degree assault charge for allegedly throwing beer at a supermarket clerk on the evening of May 21.
Among the speakers Sunday was Bishop Charlotte Petty, who also is a pastor at Risen Faith Fellowship in Olympia. Petty told the audience that all lives matter and that everyone needs to come together.
“We need to know the truth,” she said, adding that “something good is going to happen” as a result of Sunday’s efforts.
Also speaking loudly and forcefully on the subject of last week’s decision was Donovan Rivers of Seattle. He also led the march to City Hall.
Rivers urged the young people in the audience to vote for real change.
“We have to stop it and stop it now,” he said about recent officer-involved shootings. “I don’t want young people to die.”
Those in the audience were a mix of ages.
Eleanor Van Noppen, 73, of Olympia said she participated because she was “mourning” the shooting and last week’s decision.
Becky Lamont of Puyallup, 65, said she showed up because she believes the recent shooting was an example of excessive force that wasn’t justified.
Meanwhile, about 30-50 demonstrators marched through downtown Saturday night, apparently in response to a planned gathering of Nazis. They also shouted anti-police slogans.
But the group’s action allegedly resulted in an assault and damage to City Hall, Olympia police Lt. Paul Lower said Sunday.
About 8:45 p.m. Saturday, the group, some dressed in black and wearing masks, gathered at Percival Landing and then made its way east on Fourth Avenue.
Once they reached Washington Street, the group allegedly took offense at some decals on the side of a motorcycle and set about removing them.
The man riding the motorcycle tried to prevent them from doing that, which resulted in a fight and assault. Police moved in to help the man, Lower said, and he was eventually taken to Providence St. Peter Hospital.
Lower said Sunday that the man, whose name and age were not immediately available, suffered cuts and bruises but no broken bones. His face and eyes also were irritated because someone had allegedly sprayed him with pepper spray, he said.
Lower said he didn’t know what was displayed on the decal.
Following this, about a dozen members of the group continued down Fourth Avenue to Olympia City Hall where they smashed a glass door and windows.
Several police officers engaged the group at City Hall, which forced them to disperse down city streets. But in their haste to leave, police seized several items that were left behind by the group, including backpacks. Lower said they plan to use those items to help identify group members.
Copyright 2015 The Olympian