10 Jun Golden Rule damaged during aggressive, unsafe approach by Washington County Sheriff’s Boat

Posted at 16:27h in Uncategorized by
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Aggressive harasssment against freedom of speech on the water culminated in the ramming of the Golden Rule peace boat yesterday, whether reckless or intentional, by the Washington County Sheriff’s boat.

This occurred at 5:15 pm on Thursday afternoon, June 9, in the Willamatte River at Portland, Oregon, during the annual “Parade of (war) Ships.”

The extent of the damage, a deep gouge high on the starboard bow, is still being assessed. It will probably not slow down our Pacific Northwest voyage. We will continue sailing for a nuclear-free world and a peaceful, sustainable world.

You can join us anytime during the next four months in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. Check out the schedule on our website, where you can also make a donation. We really need it.

5 Comments
  • Eric Rhodes
    Posted at 18:48h, 11 June

    When did Washington get this patrol boat? And more to point the County has no jurisdiction out side of it’s boundries. That’s a Multnomah jurisdiction and their use of Washington county sheriffs marine equipment in Multnomah county is out of order. Washington County residents should expect to have Multnomah county pay for the operating expenses incurred by this expense. The sheriffs Dept should pay for the damages.

  • Capt Bill
    Posted at 22:57h, 11 June

    Washington Co. Sheriff’s Office – 06/10/16 7:11 PM
    On June 9, 2016, at about 5 p.m A sailboat, known as the Golden Rule peace boat, approached the secure zone under power, apparently wanting to travel upriver. The Golden Rule had reportedly traveled downstream through the secure zone earlier in the day. Sheriff’s Deputies flanked the sailboat’s starboard, with overhead lights on, trying to get to the operator to stop prior to entering the secure zone.

    The sailboat changed course as it turned toward the port of the Sheriff’s Patrol boat. The Sheriff’s Patrol boat made an emergency maneuver to avoid an impending serious collision. The port aft of the Sheriff’s Patrol boat collided with the starboard of the sailboat causing the minor damage seen in the attached photo.

    • Helen Jaccard
      Posted at 00:48h, 22 July

      1) All of the Navy’s support boats had their overhead lights on all day long. This would not represent any way to contact the Golden Rule. Lights on a boat that day would not be a way to “get the operator to stop”. We were monitoring all radio communication and had in fact been in contact with many of the support boats all day long. Furthermore, in addition to not communicating by radio, voice or hand signals, the Sheriff’s boat failed to deploy fenders to protect both boats – not even on the second approach! Of course, when the Sheriff’s boat approached again, we did put our own fenders between the boats – does the Sheriff’s boat even carry them? Do they even have a VHF radio?

      2) The sailboat did NOT change course. We did slow down when we saw the Sheriff’s boat approaching. The “emergency maneuver” was not effective at avoiding collision, obviously – they approached too quickly to control their own boat and turned too far starboard while accelerating too quickly past the Golden Rule. The non-driver said to the driver upon nearing the Golden Rule, “What are you doing, DON’T HIT THEM”, indicating that they knew they were not approaching at a safe speed or angle.

      3) The damage only looks minor on the outside. On the inside, the plank is shattered the full width for about 15 inches and must be replaced.

    • Captain Burke
      Posted at 18:22h, 01 September

      Captain Bill, your entry of these events are not correct. As I was there, put the boat into idle and was drifting every so slightly away from the secure zone with Finders deployed between boats. Golden Rule did not change course. We all did see the Sheriiff’s Dept Boat, and we all did hear the Deputy apologize for hitting our boat. Washington County Sheriff Deputies failed in many ways to perform this procedure to entering a secure zone. Captain Bill, “This is not my first Rodeo”, these officers were not trained for this procedure, and should not have been operating water vessels in Federal Regulated Waters. Helen Jacquard’s posting on this board is also correct, neither is this her first Rodeo. Sincerely Captain Burke

  • Martin Schaaf
    Posted at 13:51h, 18 July

    As a “veteran” of the Bay Area Peace Navy I welcome the rebirth of the Golden Rule and call upon the following to investigate the extent to which the actions instigated by the convicted war criminal George W. Bush have been destructive of human rights in the United States of America and around the World.

    Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism

    Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression

    Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association

    Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders

    Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation & guarantees of non-recurrence

    Martin Schaaf
    Owner/Operator of the sailing vessel
    “Shalom Shel Andalus
    Peace of Andalus
    Salam fi Andalus”