On May 6, the grassroots campaign Seattle Divest From War and Occupation announced that its lawyers have reviewed the lawsuit brought against the campaign, the City of Seattle, and the King County Director of Records and Elections, and are confident that they will successfully prove the lawsuit to be baseless and without merit.

Ballot initiative 97, if adopted, would require the Seattle Employees' Retirement System to divest from any company that is participating directly in the occupation of Iraq or profiting from privatization of Iraqi state resources, any company providing direct material support to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem, and Golan Heights, and any company with a direct presence in Israeli settlements in the occupied territories listed above. It will also require divestment from Israeli government bonds if Israel carries out a military attack on Iran without UN authorization.

"This lawsuit is brought by outside forces, who have historically tried to squelch any criticism of Israel," said campaign spokesperson Carla Curio. "It is an attempt to interfere with the fundamental democratic rights of Seattle residents to petition their city council through the initiative process. If the plaintiffs believe that this initiative should not be adopted by the city of Seattle, they should make their case in the court of public opinion, and try to convince voters in Seattle to vote against it on election day. Apparently, they recognize that they will most likely lose that battle, because Seattle voters do want their city to divest from illegal wars and occupations in the Middle East. Therefore, they have chosen to clog up our court system, and to waste taxpayer dollars by not only taking this to court, but also by naming city and county government entities as co-defendants."

The plaintiffs are Washington Israel Business Council, the Israel Emergency Alliance (d.b.a. StandWithUs), and Robert Jacobs.

The ballot title, which the plaintiffs claim is not legal, was written by city attorneys and was approved by the City Clerk. --Seattle Divest From War And Occupation

US Border Patrol activity at the Anacortes ferry terminal has created a major controversy in the community. Local civil and immigration rights groups say that the Border Patrol agents' demands for ID and random spot searches taking place are unconstitutional.

Every passenger arriving from Friday Harbor on the Washington State ferry system may now be subjected to questioning by US Border Patrol agents, and every vehicle is subject to potential searches.

Some passengers complain of "police state tactics." They claim residents of the San Juan Islands and visitors from the mainland are being harassed by Border Patrol agents who interrogate ferry passengers and demand identification from people who have not been traveling outside the United States. Folks who live on the islands have been complaining to their congressional representatives about the situation.

The Washington State American Civil Liberties Union and many immigration rights activists say they are opposed to the aggressive screening practices currently being conducted by the US Border Patrol in Anacortes.

Spokespersons for the Border Patrol say the spot checks are necessary as part of the government's plans to protect the nation from terrorism. The screening program was initiated in February partly to determine the citizenship status of people traveling on the ferry run from Friday Harbor to Anacortes. Previously, passengers were subjected to customs inspections only if they had boarded a ferry arriving from Sydney, British Columbia, Canada. Now even domestic ferry runs are being screened.

Civil rights attorneys are advising passengers that they should refuse to answer any questions regarding citizenship. According to attorney Matt Adams of the Northwest Immigrants Rights Project, people who have not crossed an international border are not required to give information about their legal status as citizens or immigrants.

According to the US Border Patrol's deputy chief for the Blaine border sector, Joe Giuliano, if people refuse to answer questions, agents will still stop them long enough to run a check on vehicle license plate numbers and search databases for potential information on the detainees.

Since February, 43 people have been arrested during these stops, most for alleged immigration law violations. In addition, over 140 people from 33 different countries have been detained and interviewed by Border Patrol agents.

Customs and Border Protection spokespersons have been advising passengers who plan to travel between the San Juan Islands and Anacortes that they should bring their passports, even though the ferry never actually leaves the United States. --Mark Taylor-Canfield

Marches and rallies calling for an end to prohibitions on cannabis took place in 236 cities around the globe on May 3. The demonstrations were part of an annual series of events called the Million Marijuana March.

In Seattle, the day's events focused on protecting the rights of medical marijuana patients. Activists carrying signs and banners gathered at Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill at noon. The group marched down Broadway to Pine Street, then headed west into downtown. A rally was held at Westlake Park at 2 PM with music and speakers, including medicinal marijuana patients and their legal advisors.

Many of the speeches at the rally included a plea for people to contact their local political representatives to demand that law enforcement authorities stop arresting people who use pot, including medicinal marijuana patients.

After the Westlake Park rally two local bands, the Panda Conspiracy, and the Galaxy Machine, performed at a benefit concert in the SoDo district. The event was held to raise money for a legal defense fund to support medicinal marijuana patients in Washington State.

Under a ballot measure approved by the voters in 1998, doctors in Washington State can authorize patients with certain physical conditions to obtain up to a 60-day supply of medicinal marijuana. Groups like Green Cross have sprung up to help people who qualify get access to medical cannabis.

But legalization activists and their attorneys say that law enforcement agencies don't always follow the spirit of the law. In some cases, police have arrested patients with physical disabilities who use the plant to alleviate symptoms like nausea, stomach pain, and weight loss. --M. T-C

On April 28, a jury in Portland, Oregon, delivered a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit against the Federal Way-based Weyerhaeuser corporation, a company regarded by business analysts as one of the major economic leaders in the international logging industry.

After federal penalties are applied, the settlement will total $84 million.

The original suit was brought by Morelock Enterprises from Bend, Oregon. Plaintiffs in the case accuse Weyerhaeuser of illegally monopolizing the market for finished lumber made from alder trees. Attorneys for the plaintiffs claim that Weyerhaeuser's illegal business practices severely damaged the ability of competitors to gain a share of the market.

In an official statement released to the press, Weyerhaeuser senior vice-president Sandy McDade said company officials are very disappointed by the jury's ruling and they plan to appeal the decision. --M. T-C