Steelworkers protest

Disappointed in coverage; need to tell real story for once
Seattle Times

I was very disappointed in your coverage of the March 25 rally in Tacoma called to support the locked-out Kaiser Steelworkers, which I participated in ("Tacoma ready but protest fizzles," March 27).

Your article clearly sided with the hundreds of cops who were out in force to harass me and 35 other peaceful picketers (the number grew to over 150 on Sunday).

Tacoma's deployment of 350 officers to protect the Kaiser plant was nothing more than a blatant, but unsuccessful, attempt to intimidate us.

The solidarity and courage I witnessed in the face of riot police and SWAT teams shows the power that youth, labor and environmentalists can have when we work together.

Despite the ill-advised decision of some labor officials to cancel the mass protest planned, the police and Kaiser officials still felt compelled to shut down the entire Tacoma aluminum plant because of our spirited and unified demonstration.

Instead of reporting our exciting victory, the media insists on distorting the facts and painting us all with an anarchist's brush.

As a young unionist and feminist, I would like the media to tell the real story for once.
Fides Daruthayan, Seattle