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On ], ], the ] convened in ], ], ], for the ] that was to be the launch of a new millennial round of ] ]s. The negotiations were quickly overshadowed by massive and controversial street ]s outside the ]s and ], in what became the coming-out of the ] in the United States. The scale of the demonstrations—even the lowest estimates put the crowd at over 40,000—dwarfed any previous demonstration in the United States against a world meeting of any of the organizations generally associated with economic ] (such as the WTO, the ], or the ]). The events are sometimes referred to as the "Battle of Seattle." On ], ], the ] convened in ], ], ], for the ] that was to be the launch of a new millennial round of ] negotiations. The negotiations were quickly overshadowed by massive and controversial street ]s outside the ]s and ], in what became the coming-out of the ] in the United States. The scale of the demonstrations—even the lowest estimates put the crowd at over 40,000—dwarfed any previous demonstration in the United States against a world meeting of any of the organizations generally associated with economic ] (such as the WTO, the ], or the ]). The events are sometimes referred to as the "Battle of Seattle."


==Organizations and planning== ==Organizations and planning==
Line 11: Line 11:


=="N30"== =="N30"==
At 5:00 AM on the morning of November 30th, the Direct Action Network's plan was put into action. Several hundred activists arrived in the deserted streets near the convention center and began to take control of key intersections. Over the next few hours, a number of marches began to converge on the area from different directions. These included a student march from the north and a march of citizens of the developing world who marched in from the south. Some demonstrators held rallies, others held teach-ins and at least one group staged an early-morning street party. Meanwhile, a number of protesters still controlled the intersections using lockdown formations. At 5:00 A.M. on the morning of November 30th, the Direct Action Network's plan was put into action. Several hundred activists arrived in the deserted streets near the convention center and began to take control of key intersections. Over the next few hours, a number of marchers began to converge on the area from different directions. These included a student march from the north and a march of citizens of the developing world who marched in from the south. Some demonstrators held rallies, others held teach-ins and at least one group staged an early-morning street party. Meanwhile, a number of protestors still controlled the intersections using lockdown formations.


The control of the intersections, plus the sheer numbers of protesters in the area, prevented delegates from getting from their hotels to the Convention Center. It also had the effect of cutting the police forces in two: the police who had formed a cordon around the convention center were completely cut off from the rest of the city. The police outside of the area eventually decided to attempt to break through the protesters' lines in the south. The control of the intersections, plus the sheer numbers of protestors in the area, prevented delegates from getting from their hotels to the Convention Center. It also had the effect of cutting the police forces in two: the police who had formed a cordon around the convention center were completely cut off from the rest of the city. The police outside of the area eventually decided to attempt to break through the protestors' lines in the south.


⚫ The situation was complicated around noon, when black-clad anarchists (in a formation known as a ]) -- many of them likely from Eugene, as discussed above -- began smashing windows and vandalizing storefronts, beginning with Fox's Gem Shop. This produced some of the most famous and controversial images of the protests (one particularly widely-distributed photo showed a ]-wearing anarchist vandalizing Niketown). This set off a chain-reaction of sorts, with additional protestors pushing dumpsters into the middle of intersections and lighting them on fire, police vehicles turned-over, non-black-blockers joining in the property destruction, and a general disruption of all commercial activity in downtown Seattle.
At 10:31 AM, the ] fired ] canisters into a crowd at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Union Street. By noon, they were also shooting demonstrators with ]s and ] in an attempt to reopen the blocked streets and allow as many WTO delegates as possible through the blockade. Apparently acting on a previously determined policy, police initially refused to arrest demonstrators (in some cases pepper-spraying those non-violently presenting themselves for arrest). When they did attempt to make arrests, they found themselves unable to do so. Some police began beating demonstrators and engaging in other acts of violence, even towards bystanders who were not participating in the demonstrations. In a few hours, the police expended all their tear gas, and rushed to other police departments to get more.


⚫ Other protestors attempted to physically block the violent activities. Seattle police, led by Chief Norm Stamper, did not react immediately, however, because they had been convinced by protest organizers during the protest-permit process that peaceful organizers would quell these kinds of activities.
⚫ The situation was complicated around noon, when perhaps a few dozen black-clad anarchists (in a formation known as a ]) — many of them likely from Eugene, as discussed above — began smashing windows and vandalizing storefronts. This produced some of the most famous and controversial images of the protests (one particularly widely-distributed photo showed a ]-wearing anarchist vandalizing Niketown). Reaction from other protesters was mixed and the police were unable to make arrests. A widely-circulated communiqué claimed to dispel myths and explain the actions of the black bloc anarchists.


⚫ The police were eventually totally overwhelmed by the mass of protestors downtown, including many who had chained themselves together and were blocking intersections. Meanwhile, the late-morning labor-organized rally and march drew tens of thousands; though the intended march route had them turning back before they reached the convention center, most ignored the marshals and joined what had become a street-carnival-like scene downtown.
⚫ Other protesters attempted to physically block the violent activities. Seattle police, led by Chief Norm Stamper, did not react immediately, however, because they had been convinced by protest organizers during the protest-permit process that peaceful organizers would quell these kinds of activities.


That afternoon, the ] fired ] canisters into a crowd at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Union Street. By late evening, they were also shooting demonstrators with ]s and ] in an attempt to reopen the blocked streets and allow WTO delegates as possible through the blockade.
⚫ The police were eventually totally overwhelmed by the mass of protesters downtown, including many who had chained themselves together and were blocking intersections. Meanwhile, the late-morning labor-organized rally and march drew tens of thousands; though the intended march route had them turning back before they reached the convention center, most ignored the marshals and joined what had become a street-carnival-like scene downtown.


The opening of the meetings was delayed, and it took police much of the afternoon and evening to clear the streets. Seattle mayor ] imposed a ] and a 50-block "No-Protest Zone" of questionable legality and constitutionality. Businesses lost approximately $9 to $18 million in sales, and suffered at least $3 million dollars in property damage. There were further losses in tourism due to damaged reputation, and/or public apprehension about living in or visiting Seattle. The opening of the meetings was delayed, and it took police much of the afternoon and evening to clear the streets. Seattle mayor ] imposed a ] and a 50-block "No-Protest Zone."


Over 600 people were arrested over the next few days, although virtually all of them were later acquitted due to inappropriate police procedure during the arrests. One particularly violent confrontation occurred the evening of December 1, when police pursued protesters fleeing from downtown into the bohemian neighborhood of ], indiscriminately using tear gas, pepper spray, and physical force and injuring some neighborhood residents. Over 600 people were arrested over the next few days. One particularly violent confrontation occurred the evening of December 1, when police pursued protestors fleeing from downtown into the bohemian neighborhood of ], using tear gas, pepper spray, and physical force.

The ] project started here to cover the protests.


==Aftermath== ==Aftermath==
Line 51: Line 49:
==External links== ==External links==
* *
* * http://www.zmedia.org/WTO/N30.htm
* * http://www.infoshop.org/no2wto.html
* ; flag.blackened.net accessed Oct 11, 2004 by the ]. * ; flag.blackened.net accessed Oct 11, 2004 by the ].
*Geov Parrish, , ''Seattle Weekly'', September 2-8, 1999. *Geov Parrish, , ''Seattle Weekly'', September 2-8, 1999.

Revision as of 13:42, 2 May 2006

On November 30, 1999, the World Trade Organization convened in Seattle, Washington, USA, for the WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999 that was to be the launch of a new millennial round of trade negotiations. The negotiations were quickly overshadowed by massive and controversial street protests outside the hotels and convention center, in what became the coming-out of the anti-globalization movement in the United States. The scale of the demonstrations—even the lowest estimates put the crowd at over 40,000—dwarfed any previous demonstration in the United States against a world meeting of any of the organizations generally associated with economic globalization (such as the WTO, the IMF, or the World Bank). The events are sometimes referred to as the "Battle of Seattle."

Organizations and planning

Planning for the demonstrations began months in advance and included local, national, and internationational organizations. Among the most notable participants were national and international NGOs (especially those concerned with labor issues, the environment, and consumer protection), labor unions (including the AFL-CIO), student groups, religiously-based groups (Jubilee 2000), and anarchists (some of whom formed a black bloc).

The coalition was loose, with some opponent groups focused on opposition to WTO policies (especially those related to free trade), with others motivated by pro-Labor, anti-Capitalist, or environmental agendas. Many of the NGOs represented at the protests came with credentials to participate in the official meetings, while also planning various educational and press events. The AFL-CIO, with cooperation from its member unions, organized a large permitted rally and march from Seattle Center to downtown.

Others, however, were more interested in taking direct action including both civil disobedience and acts of vandalism and property destruction to disrupt the meeting. Several groups were loosely organized together under the now defunct Direct Action Network (DAN), with a plan to disrupt the meetings by blocking streets and intersections downtown to prevent delegates from reaching the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, where the meeting was to be held.

Certain activists, most notably a group of mostly-young anarchists from Eugene, Oregon (where anarchists had rioted that summer), advocated more confrontational tactics, and planned and conducted deliberate vandalism of properties in downtown Seattle.

"N30"

At 5:00 A.M. on the morning of November 30th, the Direct Action Network's plan was put into action. Several hundred activists arrived in the deserted streets near the convention center and began to take control of key intersections. Over the next few hours, a number of marchers began to converge on the area from different directions. These included a student march from the north and a march of citizens of the developing world who marched in from the south. Some demonstrators held rallies, others held teach-ins and at least one group staged an early-morning street party. Meanwhile, a number of protestors still controlled the intersections using lockdown formations.

The control of the intersections, plus the sheer numbers of protestors in the area, prevented delegates from getting from their hotels to the Convention Center. It also had the effect of cutting the police forces in two: the police who had formed a cordon around the convention center were completely cut off from the rest of the city. The police outside of the area eventually decided to attempt to break through the protestors' lines in the south.

The situation was complicated around noon, when black-clad anarchists (in a formation known as a black bloc) -- many of them likely from Eugene, as discussed above -- began smashing windows and vandalizing storefronts, beginning with Fox's Gem Shop. This produced some of the most famous and controversial images of the protests (one particularly widely-distributed photo showed a Nike-wearing anarchist vandalizing Niketown). This set off a chain-reaction of sorts, with additional protestors pushing dumpsters into the middle of intersections and lighting them on fire, police vehicles turned-over, non-black-blockers joining in the property destruction, and a general disruption of all commercial activity in downtown Seattle.

Other protestors attempted to physically block the violent activities. Seattle police, led by Chief Norm Stamper, did not react immediately, however, because they had been convinced by protest organizers during the protest-permit process that peaceful organizers would quell these kinds of activities.

The police were eventually totally overwhelmed by the mass of protestors downtown, including many who had chained themselves together and were blocking intersections. Meanwhile, the late-morning labor-organized rally and march drew tens of thousands; though the intended march route had them turning back before they reached the convention center, most ignored the marshals and joined what had become a street-carnival-like scene downtown.

That afternoon, the Seattle police fired tear gas canisters into a crowd at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Union Street. By late evening, they were also shooting demonstrators with rubber bullets and pepper spray in an attempt to reopen the blocked streets and allow WTO delegates as possible through the blockade.

The opening of the meetings was delayed, and it took police much of the afternoon and evening to clear the streets. Seattle mayor Paul Schell imposed a curfew and a 50-block "No-Protest Zone."

Over 600 people were arrested over the next few days. One particularly violent confrontation occurred the evening of December 1, when police pursued protestors fleeing from downtown into the bohemian neighborhood of Capitol Hill, using tear gas, pepper spray, and physical force.

Aftermath

The conclusion by many in Seattle was that the WTO convention was not worth hosting due to the economic damage caused by the protests. Controversy over the city's response to the protests resulted in the resignation of Seattle police chief Norm Stamper, and arguably played a role in Schell's loss to Greg Nickels and Mark Sidran in the 2001 mayoral primary election.

Similar tactics, on the part of both police and protesters, were repeated at subsequent meetings of the WTO, IMF/World Bank, Free Trade Area of the Americas, and other international organizations.

The long-term impacts on WTO policies remain decidedly unclear, and it is an open question whether the WTO's actions since that time have been influenced significantly by these events.

On January 16, 2004, the city settled with 157 individuals arrested outside of the so-called no-protest zone during the WTO events, agreeing to pay them a total of $250,000.

Influences on music

Several punk rock bands have shown support for the anti-globalization movement in the aftermath, such as Anti-Flag (whose song "Seattle Was A Riot" was based on the events of the protest), Pennywise (who wrote the song "WTO" in protest to their actions) and Against Me! (whose song "Baby, I'm an Anarchist" refers repeatedly to the riots, albeit sarcastically). Also, the band Leftover Crack released a cd in 2005 entitled 'Fuck World Trade' and have, with the Crack Rock Steady 7, repeatedly shown their support for the riots and the anti-globalization movement. This may have been inspired by the No WTO Combo, who were scheduled to play at the protests but ended up cancelling due to the riots. The Seattle-based Infernal Noise Brigade, founded as a musical group to play at the protests, remain together as of 2005 and have travelled to perform during protests at events such as the 2004 Republican National Convention and the 2005 31st G8 summit in Edinburgh, Scotland.

References

See also

External links

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