Occupy Movement Calls for West Coast Port Shutdowns

December 8, 2011

The following statement has been released by the Director of Trade Development for the port of Long Beach:

To: Port Customers

Re: Occupy Wall Street's Call for Shutdown of West Coast Ports on Monday, Dec. 12th

As you may have heard in the news, the Occupy Wall Street movement has called for a West Coast ports shutdown on Monday, December 12, 2011. The nature and potential impact of the protest on our marine terminals and surrounding properties is unclear at this time. The call for shutdown is not specific to Long Beach.

The main focal points of the Occupy movement locally are in Los Angeles and Long Beach. The Los Angeles Police Department this week peacefully dispersed Occupy L.A.'s encampment. The Occupy Long Beach movement has staged several peaceful demonstrations, but the crowds have been relatively small. It is also important to note that the call to shut down the ports is not sanctioned by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), the largest workforce within the ports.

Port of Long Beach officials are coordinating with public safety agencies, and a Unified Command has been established and is fully prepared to deal with any potential disruptions on December 12. We respect the people's right to peaceful public assembly and freedom of speech. Our priority is to ensure the safety and security of those who work at the Port and the public while keeping the flow of goods moving freely and protecting the viability of the maritime transportation systems.

<<<return to news