“Sheriff Nelson, we came here to make it easy and simple,” local union president Dan Coffman said after the group stood outside the hall for half an hour. “We came here in good faith. … I’m hoping we don’t have to worry about being arrested in the middle of the night now”
Leaders of Longview-based Local 21 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union had said they were trying to head off future confrontational arrests of members at their homes and in their vehicles on suspicion of trespassing during the blockage of a train outside the EGT grain terminal at the Port of Longview Sept. 7.
“If local law enforcement leaders won’t put an end to the abusive and sensationalistic arrests of the hardworking longshore men and women of your community, we will – by turning ourselves in,” an ILWU spokeswoman said in a written statement.