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The protesters, affiliated with the nationwide "Occupy" movement, set out in the pre-dawn hours in Oakland, California; Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, to shut down ports in an effort to "disrupt the economic machine that benefits the wealthiest individuals and corporations," according to organizers.
Long Beach police arrested two people during the demonstration there, police Chief Jim McDonnell said. Port operations were not significantly impacted beyond some traffic delays, he said.
A spokesman for the port in Portland, Oregon, said the protests had partially shut down the port there. In Oakland, the port said in a statement that operations were continuing "with sporadic disruptions for truckers trying to enter and exit marine terminal gates."
Portland Port spokesman Josh Thomas said they decided to erect a fence at the two terminals and shut down for the day, citing concerns about personal safety of workers. One of the closed terminals is for grain and potash exports, the other for imports and exports, Thomas said.
Early Monday morning, two men who said they were part of the protest were arrested with a loaded handgun, sword and gas masks at one of the entrances, police said. And in another incident, some Occupy Portland protesters were involved in a crash in a stolen truck on Marine Drive.
Port of San Diego board chairman Scott Peters issued an open letter to the community on Sunday asking that protesters not disrupt work.
"The Port of San Diego is made up of working people with families who serve the public each day by helping to bring in goods that are important to the people of the San Diego region," Peters wrote.
"They are the 99 percent, the gardeners, the maintenance workers, the dock workers, the Harbor Police officers, the office workers, the environmental workers -- all working to improve the quality of life in San Diego Bay and on its surrounding lands," he said. "It is these people who would be hurt by a blockade of our Port."
"Maritime activities support over 12,000 family wage jobs in the Portland metro area alone," he said. "The Port is also important to the agricultural and small business communities – 88 percent of Oregon exporters are small- and medium-sized businesses."
Originally posted by DrNotforhire
let me tell you something about that... without imports this country dont sell foreign stuff, without exports we aren't worth ANYTHING.. you take BOTH of those away???? Seriously...I hope pepper spray is a domestic made product!