About 400 cars, trucks, and motorcycles. A line 6 miles long that took an hour to drive to the end of Water Street and turn around. A massive Back the Blue Rally organized by the wives of law enforcement officers stretched from Chimacum through Port Townsend on Sunday, August 30, 2020.

The starting point was H.J. Carroll park, where all parking spaces, the open field and the sides of roadways were filled almost an hour before the scheduled departure. The event took off 20 minutes early because there was no more room.  I stood at the exit as the motorcade got underway with a hand counter. 342 vehicles rolled by me. I learned that more participants had parked at Chimacum High School and the Grange when word got out that the park was filled. Along the way, other vehicles joined in at Ness’s Corners and closer to Port Townsend. One observer counted 60 vehicles parked on the shoulders of Highway 19 near Anderson Lake Road waiting to join the long, long line of cars, trucks and bikes decked out with flags, streamers, balloons, and signs proclaiming “We Support Law Enforcement,” “Back the Blue,” “Thank a Cop,” “Cops or Chaos” and “Blue Lives Matter.”

Organizers did not intend this as a political event. It was open to anyone supporting law enforcement. But numerous “Culp for Governor” and “Trump 2020” signs rode the route along with pro-law enforcement messages. I spotted Sue Forde, who is challenging incumbent Michael Chapman to represent the 24th Legislative District. I also spotted Brian Pruiett who is challenging incumbent Steve Tharinger who holds the other seat representing the 24th LD. No Democratic candidates or their representatives were present. I did not see any signs for any Democrat candidate, though I did recognize in the cars leaving H.J. Carroll Park people I know to be Democrats and to have held elective office in Jefferson County.

The Rakers, Port Townsend’s popular classic car club, turned out in force for law enforcement, as did several motorcycle groups. Jefferson County has a very large retired law enforcement population, and they were well represented.

What impressed me is that nearly all of these people, really 99% of them, had not been engaged in anything like this before in Jefferson County.

Someone, perhaps intending to intimidate participants, drove up and down the rows of cars before the start filming license plates. Their vehicle bore the campaign sign of a candidate for the District 2 position on the County Commission, but the persons doing the filming did not include that candidate. I don’t think it would be fair to that candidate to align her with the actions of these people as I know she has spoken highly of our deputies and police officers.

I was the last to leave H.J. Carroll Park. Along the 9 miles into Port Townsend ahead of me the line of cars decked out for the event stretched as far as I could see. Groups of people along the roadway waved in support, unfurled American flags and held up signs supporting law enforcement. It was noisy, with horns honking and cheering, especially when the long line had doubled back on itself.

The night before someone had gone along the route hanging Black Lives Matter type signs and banners on private fences. The paper banners were in tatters. Someone then came along and affixed plywood boards with messages to private property. At least one property owner had called the Sheriff’s Office to report their property being targeted without their consent.

There were a handful of counter-protesters approaching Port Townsend, no more than half a dozen. And there were people having nervous breakdowns.

One woman going south was driving with both hands in her hair and shaking her head back and forth. Just off Sims Way, in a lot near Kitsap Bank, a young woman was doubling over, writhing, screaming, “I can’t breathe.”

And there were the usual middle fingers from old White women. This seems to be a Port Townsend ritual for greeting opposing viewpoints in a town that supposedly celebrates tolerance and diversity.

Supporters of the motorcade and opponents report that it rolled through Port Townsend steadily for about an hour. As I approached the intersection of Water and Taylor, suddenly the slowly moving line of vehicles came to a complete stop.  I walked up to see what was happening. A group of about 25 people, mostly young, all White, had blocked traffic in both directions. They were screaming profanities into the air and at people on the sidewalks, dropping to their knees and raising their hands over their heads, laying down on the blacktop and…

…dropping their pants (this is on video but I won’t publish the images).

They seemed to be following the lead of an adult woman who owns a downtown bar. She was the one talking with the police officer who was begging them to clear the roadway and advising them that their actions were illegal. Several times she turned and addressed the group with questions and instructions. Video she took and posted to her Facebook page confirms that she seemed to be a leader of sorts.

An individual named Rex Fergus, who does not live in Port Townsend, caused a bit of a sensation. He was filming the event for his own media activities. He was wearing a tee shirt that said “Proud Boys.” He was not part of the motorcade (he was on foot). The video he took, including conversations with some of those blocking Water Street, may be seen at his Facebook page. It does not show him engaging in anything other than media commentary and discussion with bystanders and traffic obstructors. At the end of his video, a woman who identifies herself as Port Townsend resident, asks him to join her for a drink and a chat.

Except for about 15 vehicles, the other approximately 400 Back the Blue vehicles had completed their route and were on their way back to Chimacum before Water Street was blocked. The cars stretching for half a mile or longer back to Sims Way, and north along Water Street to Hudson Point were vehicles occupied by people having nothing to do with the event.

Police warned the protesters that they could be cited for illegally blocking a public roadway, but would likely not be physically arrested. That emboldened them and prolonged the blockade. At the request of police, the cars closest to the blockade turned around and the rest of the traffic followed. A truck and a car were slapped or kicked by those in the street, and a young man had to be restrained by police.

I do not know at this time whether any charges were or will be filed against the people who blocked traffic on Water Street.