PORT ANGELES — Fliers that urge a boycott of the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe’s fish company because of the tribe’s role in the now-abandoned graving yard site do not violate state or federal law, authorities determined.
Port Angeles Police Chief Tom Riepe said his department forwarded a flier to the FBI for consideration, which in turn sent it to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
That agency found no criminal violation in passing out the fliers, Riepe said Friday.
But he emphasized the Police Department will “rigorously enforce” any violations of the state’s malicious harassment statute, which makes it a felony to threaten or commit a crime against a person because of his or her race, religion, ancestry or other factors.
The fliers in question were left on vehicle windshields in downtown Port Angeles and faxed to people. They called for a boycott of the Elwha Fish Co., the Port Angeles waterfront business owned by the tribe.
Tribe’s role
The fliers referred to the tribe’s role in shutting down the state Department of Transportation’s graving yard project on Marine Drive, where concrete anchors and pontoons were to be built for the Hood Canal Bridge, providing more than 100 jobs.
