Update on Olympia May Day Incident and Prisoner Solidarity

author: Daniel Wilson Fund
May 03, 2008 20:36

On May 1 there was a rally and march in solidarity with the
immigrants' rights an anti-war movements with the goal of rallying
support for Olympia becoming a sanctuary city. The march went to the
capital and then moved downtown. Rocks were thrown through the
windows of the Bank of America and US Bank which was followed by a
violent response by police. Six members of the Olympia community were
arrested. One, Daniel Wilson, still needs funds for his bail.

On May 1 in Olympia, WA a group of about two hundred people had a
rally in solidarity with the immigrants’ rights and anti-war
movements. The rally was followed with a march to the capital where
activists gathered outside of the governor’s door, making their
presence known and urging her to support the proposal of making
Olympia a sanctuary city for undocumented immigrants. After the
capital the march continued downtown, where rocks were thrown through
the windows of Bank of America and US Bank, two banks notorious for
their social and environmental injustices. A scuffle ensued in which
protestors clashed with the police. Pepper spray and pellet guns were
used on the protestors and six people were ultimately arrested. The
names of the people arrested are Daniel Busby, Forrest Student,
Stephanie Gottschalk, Bryan Riggins, Randall Hunt and Daniel Wilson.
Busby and Student were arrested on suspicion of riot and 2nd degree
theft. Gottschalk was arrested on suspicion of riot without a deadly
weapon and 3rd degree assault. Riggins, Hunt and Wilson were all
arrested on suspicion of 1st degree malicious mischief and suspicion
of riot.

Busby, the only person with a private counsel, was released on
personal recognizance. Gottschalk’s bail was set at $2500, her bail
was posted Friday, and she has been released. Randall Hunt’s bail was
set at $2500, his bail was posted Friday, he has been released.
Student’s bail was set at $7500 and his bail was posted Friday, yet
he must remain in jail until Monday when his place of residence can
be verified. Bryan Riggins’s bail was set at $10,000 and his bail was
posted Friday, yet he too must remain in jail until Monday when his
residence can be verified.

This is where it gets complicated. Daniel Wilson’s bail was set at
$5000. The $500 needed to bail him out was promptly raised, and he
was set with a co-signer that had a car title to put up for the bail
bond. However, the co-signer fell through and we have been unable to
find another co-signer able to put up the collateral necessary (a car
or property title). Due to this fact, the only option we have is to
pay the entire bail, $5000. We have roughly half of the money raised
and we are hard at work raising the rest. However, the people with
the deepest hearts often have the shallowest pockets and the rest of
the money has proven hard to raise.

We are asking for you to put up any amount of money you can spare so
we can get Daniel out of jail to live his life until he can get his
court situation figured out and, hopefully, justice can show its face.

The positive thing about paying the entire bail, $5000, is that that
money will be returned once Daniel shows up to his first court date.
ANY MONEY YOU CONTRIBUTE WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU as soon as Daniel
has appeared in court, probably within the next 2 months. Money can
be sent on paypal to  ramblini@gmail.com .

Actions of solidarity would also be welcome.