World Trade Organization...Battle in Seattle

Before the story begins, I would like to point out some facts about the World Trade Organization.

The World Trade Organization operates in secret. Their judges are appointed. They sit behind closed doors.

They hear NO outside witnesses. Their proceedings are not made public.

Only governments and corporations can bring a case to the trade panels. Citizens, organizations and local governments can not.

This government cannot enact laws, only overturn them.

The WTO enables governments to enact only laws that are weaker than the global standard, NOT stronger.

The new planetary constitution includes NO bill of rights.

The WTO offers no democratic process for change. It can be amended, but only from within.

The WTO judges are chosen not for their knowledge of the subjects they are ruling on, but for their adherence to the tenets of free trade.

THE WTO CONTROLS 90% OF GLOBAL TRADE

In the early morning of Nov. 30, several hundred activists arrived and began blocking key intersections. A few hours later, hundreds began to converge on the area from all different directions. Hundreds turned into thousands, and the most conservative estimates put it at 40,000, most think it was closer to 60,000.

While most protesters were there to oppose the World Trade Organization's policies on "free trade", others were motivated by pro-labor, and environmental agendas. One important factor for most of these people was their commitment to a peaceful demonstration. Because most major intersections to the convention center we blocked, the scheduled speakers were not able to make the opening ceremonies. Three representatives from Global Exchange, Kevin Danahar, Medea Benjamin, and Juliet Hill, offered to take the stage and speak for fair trade.

The World Trade Organization had not been able to come to a draft agenda. The NGO however, had drafted a consensus agreement about globalization and the three decided to take the stage and speak to the few delegates who were able to get there.

Although the three were credentialed delegates, the sound system was turned off soon after they began. Police arm-locked and hand cuffed them. Medea had a sprained wrist. They were dragged off stage and arrested.

The World Trade Organization is a frightening look at what a corporate-controlled world may look like with its police in black carrying tear gas and pepper spray...

As the protests heated up during the day, police brutality became unrestrained and out of control.

The police were equipped with US military standard M40A1 double canister gas masks, uncalibrated, semi-automatic, high velocity Autocockers loaded with solid plastic shot; Monadnock disposable plastic cuffs, Nomex slash-resistant gloves, Commando boots, Centurion tactical leg guards, combat harnesses, DK5-H pivot-and-lock riot face shields, black Monadnock P24 polycarbonate riot batons with TrumBull stop side handles, No. 2 continuous discharge C5 chemical grenades, M651 CN pyrotechnic grenades, T16 Flameless OC Expulsion Grenades, DTCA rubber bullet grenades, (stingers), M-203 (40mm) grenade lanchers, First Defense MK-46 Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) aerosol tanks with hose and wands, .60 caliber rubber ball impact munitions, lightweight tactical Kevlar composite ballistic helmets, combat butt packs, .30 cal. thirty-round mag pouches, and Kevlar body armor. Non had visible forms of I.D.

The demonstrators were equipped with hooded jackets and carried toothpaste and baking powder for protecting their skin, and wet cotton cloths soaked with vinegar to cover their noses and mouths against tear gas.

It was a beautiful day. The air was still. There was music, drums and chanting in the air. Amongst the protesters were monks, priests, professors, men, women and children. They were not crazy, out of control anarchists bent on destruction as the mainstream media would have you believe, but concerned citizens trying to make a statement.

At 10 am the police fired the first round of tear gas into the crowd. The peaceful sitting protesters did not budge. Next came the truncheons and rubber bullets. People were being clubbed in the streets. As the violence against the protesters escalated, they still kept coming back, brave, determined and passionate.

On the first day of protesting, the Seattle police department made a decision not to arrest anyone. After that day, the decision was reversed.

Tear gas was used to cover crowds of people who staggered around in shock and pain. Tear gas is a drug. It causes a feeling of asphyxiation and temporary blindness.

As police hit and bashed their way through the crowd of blinded protesters, their eyes closed from pain, one by one they pulled their heads back and pepper sprayed directly into their eyes.

Tear gas, rubber bullets, grenades and pepper spray were used so much that supplies ran low.

There was a temporary lull as police rounded up more supplies from nearby counties.

Downtown Seattle had turned into a combat zone and a curfew was put in place for that night.

By the next day, the police were completely out of control. Their fear and anger had created new heights of brutality against the demonstrators.

Police were firing grenades, tear gas, pepper spraying and shooting people who were protesting nonviolently. Finally the police began attacking bystanders, and residents. They had lost control.

The final amazing fact about this event is how the media spun lies and stories about the demonstrators and their ignorance of the World Trade Organization and its policies. They focused on and filmed the few demonstrators who had turned to violence and vandalized out of anger and frustration.

In the end, over 600 people were arrested.

IF the World Trade Organization has nothing to hide, why these drastic measures to block demonstrations and free speech?

Why did the media spin all the hype and hide the truth?

Is this the new democracy? Have we become a police state at the hands of the World Trade Organization and corporate world dominance?

The good news is, since this event happened over 10 years ago, there has been worldwide recognition of what really took place that week.

Demonstrations like these bring recognition to the cause and make a statement loud and clear that we are fed up with governments like the World Trade Organization and their lack of concern for human rights and environmental issues.

There have been hundreds of protests both before and after Seattle, taking place all over the world. This one happens to be the most famous, but it is not the biggest, or necessarily the most important.

What IS important is the publicity and awareness it raised in the struggle against a world governing system which combines transnational capital, nation-states, international financial institutions and trade agreements, but lacks any compassion or concern for human beings, and contributes to poverty and environmental destruction.

The WTO is a system of global government that none of us voted for. It says that money values should rule over life values...that human rights and the environment should be subordinated to the needs of commerce.


Click here to learn about the World Trade Organization history project.