I'll update these periodically if and when notable things happen.
Around 10:
The irony of #occupyolympia is that the biggest obstacle to fix the problems was put there by the 99% - the 2/3 requirement to raise taxes.
At 8:04:
Livestream of what appears to be people being arrested outside the Capitol building. And Twitter is talking about protesters surrounding a bus full of arrestees and perhaps lying in front of it. Guy on the livestream is currently trying to find/follow one of the bus/paddy wagons.
At 7:52:
RT @cohenkomo: Troopers have 3 arrestees on city bus; protestors have surrounded bus, chanting: "whose bus? Our bus"
At 7:45:
Everyone's getting picked up and carried out, quite peacefully, while the demonstrators softly sing "Which Side Are You On?" in commendable harmony. And now, from the bright lights and dead sound on the livestreams I've been following, I assume that the cameramen have been arrested.
At 7:36:
Our cameraman seems to be sideways, linked with the others.
People are being lifted and dragged out of the Capitol by state patrol officersâbut this, I should add, is what people have been asking for. Peaceful arrests of peaceful demonstrators, not chemical weapons and batons.
On the livestream, from a guy speaking into the people's mic while lying locked down (linked arms with other people) on the floor: "Is it more criminal to lay on the floor of the Capitol building than to throw disabled people on the street? I think that's a moral choice that you have to make."
Arrests are happening and people are singing Woodie Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land."
At 7:31:
From a guy at the GA speaking on the livestream: "At first, I didn't want to be arrested, so I could come back. But now I realize... Occupy Medina! What's the real cause of not being able to come back to Olympia, when the servants of Medina work here?"
At 7:27:
Slowly going to make my way to the door. I cannot get arrested and if I stay here any longer, that's what will happen
At 7:25:
Live streamer just zoomed in on undercover cop "protestor" giving intel into hidden wire on collar
media bloackout at #occupyolympia in the capital. TV stations told to leave
Police just cleared out the press. This does not look good.
At 7:23:
Lady at the General Assembly on the livestream (while officers stand stoically by): "Tax the rich! You tell me we don't have enough money in this state that we don't have enough money to take care of low-income peopleâthat is dysfunctional."
Another lady, to the police officers: "You are desperate, just like us, to put food on the table... you are not defined by your badge number."
At 7:16:
No matter what goes down tonight, I'm so proud of this Occupy group. We've been so civil and cooperative, good job my friends.
At 7:14, from a text by someone on the scene:
Arrests occurring. Hard to tell numbers but 20+
At 7:12:
Better livestream for the moment here. They keep switching channels. One guy at the General Assembly: "They [Washington state legislator] say we're broke, but that's bullshit... The problem is that WA state has the most regressive tax system in the country."
Civil Disobedience in Capitol Rotunda Olympia, limp bodies being removed by Capitol police right now... arrests happening
At 7:06:
The General Assembly goes on...
Sitting here watching people that I have become friends with be arrested under the Christmas tree.
Spokane Occupy just showed up. They marched up to the front chanting "Let Us In!"
At 7:00:
On the livefeed, a state patrol officer speaking at the General Assembly, using the people's mic: "The building is closed. It reopens tomorrow at 7 am. Please leave... failure to do so will result in your removal... you will not be able to return to the Capitol for 30 days."
At 6:58:
The livestream has switched to here. No substantive news on Twitter, just expressions of support. But the occupiers seem to be still holding a General Assembly meeting in the Capitol building.
At 6:42:
Arrests are happening!
At 6:36:
Asking us to leave if not they will remove us and ban us for 30 days.
At 6:32:
Police have to mic check haha.
People are refusing to leave. "WE AREN'T LEAVING!"
Alot of cops. I am going to try to get out. We are pinned. They are walking through the crowd. Does not seem safe.
Livestream goes black.
At 6:13:
@Wastatepatrol confirms three protesters were Tasered at #OccupyOlympia in state Capitol,
At 6:05:
Now people on the livestream are saying nobody got tasered, though state patrol officers drew them at a tense moment.
cohenkomo Lindsay Cohen
To clarify: our reporter at capitol is working to confirm reports protestor tasered at governor's office. More as I get it.
Livestream guy: "If KOMO is reporting that, it's because I told them there was some pushing by the doors."
That's new media for youâwithin minutes, source talks to reporter, reporter talks to editor, editor tweets what reporter said, then has to pull back what she tweeted, while the source has his own livestream to complain directly to his audience (and the reporter's readership) about how the reporter misunderstood his comments.
Oh my god! Now the source is complaining to the reporter live on his livestream about how she may or may not have misinterpreted what he told her! New media is disappearing up its own asshole! And it's taking me with it!
Anywayâthere's a general assembly meeting going on at the moment but it's hard to hear what they're saying.
At 5:55:
cohenkomo Lindsay Cohen
Our reporter at #occupyolympia says one person has been tasered outside the office for the governor. More as I get it.
At 5:45:
@Seespikerun: #OccupySeattle A bus full of riot police R pulling up on the Capital building. Hang in thr! U're Heroes !!!!
On the livestream, some protesters are trying to get into the building, the state patrol is blocking the way, and people are screaming: "Let them in! Let them in!" A few folks are also screaming obscenities at individual cops. (That's uncivil disobedience.)
At 5:35:
@ wastatepatrol 2 ppl tried to climb in a Capitol window, removed and given 30 day trespass warning. Not arrested or cited, but canât return,
RT @komonews: RT @wastatepatrol: Had to arrest one subject who went too far. Hundreds of other protesters loud but legal. #occupyolympia.
From the livestream: "Let me show you what the State Patrol are doingâthey're just standing around!" The narrator sounded incredulous but grateful.
At 5:19:
Occupiers are currently setting up sleeping bags in the Capitol. I counted about fifty people, for now.
The building officially closes at 5:30. The livestream shows thunderous chanting: "Whose house? Our house!"
At 5:11:
Occupy Olympia seems to have stayed inside the capitol building with sleeping bags and blanketsâwith some state troopers moving in and out of the frame. Livestream here.
At 5:06:
The doors to Gregoire's office are now closed, the Police left, and our Governor has left cowardly, without showing her face. #OccupyOlympia
