On behalf of the Canadian Federation of Students, Jen Anthony and Elizabeth Carlyle attended the civil society events in Seattle during the meetings of the World Trade Organization.
The Federation worked with a wide variety of groups, some of whichhad been invited to participate in the official Canadian delegation's deliberations in Seattle. Other groups, such as the Canadian Federation of Students, had met with senior trade officials and other government representatives in the months before the WTO events, to discuss concerns about global treaties that leave public services open to trade. Still other groups sought primarily to create entirely alternative fora for discussion. Whatever the means, all of these groups assembled in Seattle to oppose the WTO and to educate people about the threats it poses for public services, the environment, and democracy.
Overall, the tens of thousands of voices of dissent speaking inSeattle were well-coordinated. The Direct Action Network hadorganized a series of events designed to shut down the officialWTO events downtown, and had been liaising with the Seattlepolice for months to ensure that safety reigned. Labourorganizations like the AFL-CIO hosted a huge rally and march onTuesday, November 30th to provide space for labour and socialjustice messages and to march to the convention centre, where all of the official WTO events were taking place.
The Federation's representatives had been working in a broadly-based, North American student formation, the Ad Hoc StudentCoalition for Fair Trade, to produce information and coordinatestudent efforts around the WTO. The coalition dubbed November30th the Student Day of Action Against the WTO, and encouragedevents not just in Seattle, but across the continent.
Anthony and Carlyle arrived in Seattle on Monday, November 29 to participate in the main day of action.
On the evening of the 29th, activists were greeted at Seattle's Key Arena by an anti-WTO party. The evening of merriment was hosted by "the other" Michael Moore (not the current chairperson of the WTO, but progressive TV producer and activist of TV Nation and The Awful Truth fame).
Early Morning
On Tuesday, November 30, activities began early in the morning as the Direct Action Network locked down all the major arteries into the downtown area. Activists literally locked down to platforms lay in all the 13 major intersections surrounding the Paramount theatre and Convention Centre. Each lock-down platform was surrounded by a protective ring of protestors, designed to prevent immobile activists from being trampled to death. A ring of buses surrounded the downtown area, an effort by the Seattle police to contain the events. At this point, few official WTO delegates were able to access the Paramount Theatre or the Convention Centre, where their meetings were to take place. Thousands of activists marched, chanted, and generally milled around within the police barricade of buses. Some even struck up conversations with bewildered WTO delegates. Several stories were heard, for example, about Norwegian delegates who joined the protests.
Mid-morning
At the Seattle Central Community College, Anthony and Carlyleparticipated in a student rally that kicked off official student events for the day. Busloads of students coming from Vancouver were also coordinated by the Canadian Federation of Students BC office to arrive closer to downtown, at the monster march later on that morning.
Activities at Seattle Central included several hundred protestors, street theatre (including suit-clad traders making deals with the devil itself), speeches, and lots of noise-making.
By 11:00 am, downtown was protest central, and the student march headed towards the Metro Arena, to the west of downtown, for the beginning of the monster march at noon. The labour-led march with which students would join was to have a finale downtown at the Convention Centre.
As the student march proceeded down from Capitol Hill, the neighbourhood in which the College is located, it grewexponentially. Soon, it was thousands of students long, taking up the entire roadway as people streamed over the hills leading down to Metro Arena. Another rally took place in a park just west of downtown, as impatient students awaited the labour rally. Students from many of the Ad Hoc Student Coalition member groups, such as the pro-Zapatista MEChA movement, MDE/180, the Canadian Federation of Students, the Student Environmental Action Coalition, etcetera, took part. Various colleges and universities in the area, the Lesbian Avengers, and other students were also involved. By noon, students had integrated themselves into the labour rally and march.
Noon
Anthony and Carlyle joined the Canadian segment of the labourmarch, nestling in with the busloads of Federation activists, labour unionists, and other social justice activists. The International Union of Teamsters blared music from semis, as Vandana Shiva, an East Indian activist, blasted genetically-modified foods.
The monster march gradually occupied the streets surrounding the Metro Arena, and snaked its way towards the downtown area. There were at least 50,000 people.
Afternoon
As the labour march carried on, the downtown had become a full battle zone. The riot police were tear-gassing, smoke-bombing, and pepper-spraying. Towards the end of the big march, which was diverted from the core of the downtown area, police gas bombs could be heard going off, and the acrid smell or tear gas and pepper spray filled the air.
After the march, many of us headed back downtown to see how we could help. The main responsibility was simply to take a seataround and be prepared for the onslaught of gasses and policebatons. The goal was to maintain the blockades and to protectthose in lock-down position. A spokesperson exerted calm over the crowd with a variety of chants, speeches, and updates for those seated and unable to judge how close police formations were to the protest. Favourite chants sung throughout the anti-WTO events include:"Ain't no power like the power to the people, 'cuz the power to the people don't stop", and "The first thing we did right was the day we started to fight. Keep your eye on the prize, hold on." Then, by mid afternoon, several store windows were broken. In more than one case, the police stood by as onlookers pointed to the perpetrator running away. Many protestors were baffled as to why the police were not making arrests, and protesters knew that those breaking things were not part of the organized actions. The next day's actions suggest that maybe the police were waiting to crack down not just on window-breakers, but on protestors and passers-by as well. As the afternoon wore on, the protesters maintained the lock- downs and no one was really hurt. But police were getting anxious - there had already been several beatings with police batons, and the gasses were coming faster and more abundantly. Downtown Seattle looked chaotic and out of the control of any authority besides that of each lock-down spokesperson. But riot cops were moving slowly inwards, towards each lock-down, on three sides, to squeeze protestors out. Always conscious of their surroundings and of maintaining calm, the protest spokespeople declared victory: "The WTO has performed none of its business today! We have won!"
With these words, whispers were circulating in the crowd that a curfew had been imposed, and bodies began to move. Althoughactivities downtown dwindled on in some places, most protestorsstreamed out of downtown in small groups before 7:00 pm. A state of emergency was declared, and downtown Seattle was declared a no-protest zone by police. Several legal experts suggested that the no-protest declaration was a breech of first-amendment rights to expression. Seattle police unable to cope with the situation had called in reinforcements from state and federal forces. Near one lock-down, three or four curiously oblivious WTOdelegates walked right between protestors and three flanks of riot cops moving in on the lock down. The delegates were certain Canadian dignitaries. One protestor yelled across a corner of the intersection, just before the delegates had reached their destination, the Sheraton Hotel across the street from the besieged Nike Store: "Hey, that's Pierre Pettigrew, the Canadian Minister of International Trade, and Sergio Marchi, working for the WTO!" Pettigrew found himself peppered with questions - but without responding to any, he was hoisted out and over the eager crowd, by the collar of his business suit, by obliging police officers. Pettigrew's sidekick scurried off somewhere, leaving Sergio Marchi to fend for himself. Tales were told of Marchi's being tear-gassed moments later.
Evening
Carlyle and Anthony had intended to meet at the Seattle Central Community College, for a debriefing session by national studentorganizations. However, Seattle Central was entirely closed down, "on Governor's and Mayor's orders", because it was a hotbed of activity, we were told. A few of the member groups of the Ad Hoc Coalition relocated to a nearby cafe.
News coverage showed taped and live coverage of scenes of the most charged events, but did not adequately capture theoverridingly peaceful tone that had prevailed on the ground. The police were continuing to disperse now smallish groups of protestors and hooligans. Some apparently persisted through the night, in pitched battle over gas cannisters, on the edges of the curfew zone.
Night
Later that night, Capitol Hill (where Seattle Central is located) became a focal point for more police action. Police angered the mostly student and low-income residents by moving far beyond the curfew zone, chasing peaceful protestors into the area, and smoke and gas-bombing. Percussion bombs were even deployed into the wee hours. All this was just to break up some peaceful gatherings, mostly characterized by singing and talking.
Morning
As the curfew lifted at 7:30am, protestors began a march part-way between Capitol Hill and downtown, near the Direct Action Network office. The organizers knew that, in order to ensure that WTO delegates were not simply able to catch-up from the day before, the public debate on the streets of Seattle would have to continue. The peaceful march was partly broken up within minutes, as arrests were made. Later, closer to 8:30 am, another march of about 300 people managed to wind its way into the downtown area. Some cars were circulating downtown, but most had stayed away.
Anthony and Carlyle joined the march in the core, where it had grown to about 500 people. Riot cops had gotten organized,surrounding the march on three sides and pushing it west. (Prior to that, the march did not appear to be blocked on any side.) Finally, with riot cops moving in and a crowd of onlookers as big as the protest watching, a sit-in was staged near the West Lake Mall park, in a conveniently-located public park. Up to and including that moment, no order to disperse or do anything else had been uttered by police. The only people making announcements were the march announcers, advising us to sit down and prepare for tear-gas and beatings. One protestor bore several huge, purple welts on his leg as testimony to this warning. All the while, songs and chants of protest attracted more and more people. By this time, the downtown area had been closed to vehicular traffic.
By around 9:30 a.m., mass arrests were underway. People were walked, carried, and dragged over to public buses, at least one of which appeared to simply have been emptied of bus patrons and commandeered by the police. Anthony and Carlyle were arrested at about 9:30 am, later to be charged with pedestrian interference and failure to disperse. Carlyle was first grabbed and pulled away by her back-pack strap. The pack broke, however, she was carried off, slung over two police batons. Several misfits were also scooped up along with protestors: a fully-credentialed member of the press, a shopper, a pedestrian on her way to work, protestors who tried to get up and leave the area but were told it was "too late".
The same day, members of the Steelworker union were also arrested, despite having a legal parade permit. In fact, throughout the day, it seemed that anything moving was up for arrest. Here are some of the stories told:
Mid-morning
Several busloads of people, followed by media, were taken to the Sandy Point naval base, a makeshift processing area for the hundreds of arrestees.
One busload, mostly of protestors, refused to leave the bus when it was parked outside the Sandy Point naval base. They occupied it for several hours, until very early Thursday morning.
The protestors, handcuffed since the morning's events with flexi-cuff plastic handcuffs that dig into the skin, sat on the floor of an unheated waiting room for several hours, without instruction. Men and women were segregated. Some, including Carlyle and Anthony, finally had their flexicuffs loosened and were permitted to go to the bathroom. The criteria for cuff-loosening was if your hands were turning purple because circulation was ceasing or if the police could be convinced you might suffer long-term nerve damage, a distinct possibility from tight handcuffs.
In the waiting area, many persisted in dancing and singing to keep warm and keep spirits up. No water was provided from the time of arrest until after 9:00 pm that night. Some food was provided later (after 8:30pm) at the King County Prison, in the holding cells, but not for strict vegetarians. No phone calls were allowed until after 8:00pm.
Afternoon
Finally, in the later part of the afternoon, Carlyle and Anthony were taken through "processing". Still no charges were laid. Throughout the afternoon, police barked orders, usually yelling inaudible and unclear orders. They refused to deal with spokespeople assigned by different groups that had been organized into jail solidarity teams by the Direct Action Network.
At the time of the initial processing, Carlyle requested that her back-pack, which had arrived on the bus from West Lake Mall park, be placed with her. The police officer who had promised he would place the pack with her other belongings claimed he had no idea to what she referred. Repeated requests to retrieve the back- pack were ignored. After processing, which consisted of the handing in of possessions (right down to shoelaces), finger-printing (onto four forms), photographing, questioning and a medical assessment, women from the same bus as Anthony and Carlyle were placed in another holding room. After more waiting and persistent questioning by arrestees about process, we were finally informed that we would be leaving soon to go to the King County Prison, and that men would be taken to King and Kent prisons. Anthony and Carlyle gave their names to police, and were assured that this would speed up their release.
During this initial processing, arrestees who had clearly declared that they were not giving names and opting to make no statements to police were continually badgered, yelled at, and taunted by police. Some women, concerned that not all of those in our originalgrouping had yet joined us in the second holding cell, refused to leave until were all together. These women were roughly treated, pepper-sprayed, beaten, and dragged screaming over to the area where all were being shackled with metal cuffs on wrists and ankles. Wrist cuffs were attached to a chain around the waist. The group was taken by bus to the King County Prison, on the edge of Seattle's core area.
Evening
Upon arrival at the King County Prison, over twenty women wereplaced in a holding cell with seating space for only ten people. Some water was available in the cell, an exposed toilet functioned, and local and collect-call telephones worked. No one had yet been informed of any charges or of any of our rights while under arrest. One young mother of two who had given her name to get out in time to put her kids to bed had to wait several more hours before being released. Two teenagers who had also given their names were processed along with everyone else.
The rest of the evening was spent waiting. Women who had givennames were called out first, for another round of "processing",including four more sets of fingerprints. Anthony and Carlyle were each informed that "failure to disperse" was the charge faced.
Late in the evening, some food was provided. The bagged foodconsisted of baloney on bread, a packet of mustard, a cookie, and a box of milk. This was the same meal served for lunches and dinners each time.
Night
At about 9:00pm, after this second round of processing, the women were finally taken to the cell block area. Most were clad in prison blues, for misdemeanor offences - although a few were clad in red for more serious felonies such as spray-painting. One woman who had been thus charged said she was accused of spray-painting only because she was dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt as she waited for her friend to come out of a Starbucks outlet.
Before being locked in our cells, we were given instructions about how the jail functioned: lights out at 11:00pm, everyone locked in with their bunk mate; doors open at 6:30 or 7:00am for breakfast - if you don't come out then, you're locked in your cell room all day; problems should be expressed on complaint/request forms; vegetarians need two letter requesting special food to be sent to the jail; etc.
Everything about the jail exuded a culture of violence: the door locks opened automatically with a loud, clanging, shot-gun banging sound where a simple click would have served the purpose; all orders were barked inaudibly through a crackly intercom; food trays were slammed down; guards mocked jail solidarity tactics and threatened that people would be forgotten, and all questions were met with scorn at best, a day in solitary confinement at worst.
Many requests were made to speak with Direct Action Networklawyers who were known to have been in the building all daywaiting to see their clients. The guards claimed that if the lawyers were really so concerned, then they would have asked to see their clients. It was later discovered that several requests to see their clients had been refused by the jail.
Those who could sleep with fluorescent lights on all night in a stuffy bunk-room did.
Morning
Many discovered that the telephones in the common area of eachcell block did not work until after breakfast.
Breakfast was served. It consisted of: plastic trays spilling over with greyish, runny porridge that boasted a tingly, rancid flavour; coloured, artificial juice flavour crystals; a tough, dried up piece of sausage patty; several pieces of stale bread; and margarine.
Needless to say, most literally dined on bread and water.
Before having an opportunity to use the telephones that had just been turned on, all were shuffled off to an arraignment, a hearing before the courts to hear our charges and enter a plea.
The group of over 60 women waited in holding cells at the courthouse all day, without water all morning.
On the way to the court house, one woman demanded that shereceive a clear answer as to when we would be able to see ourlawyers. She was yelled at, but persisted in asking questions.Finally, she was pushed around by the guard, thrown to the ground, and dragged over to a confined holding cell. In the process, she was dragged by her hair, hit, and kicked, and had her shirt pulled off.
In the main holding cell, another woman spoke of how she wasplaced, hand-cuffed, in an unheated solitary confinement cellinstead of being given her anti-depressant medication.
Another woman told of how she was arrested simply because shelived in Capitol Hill and was on her way home on Wednesday night.
Afternoon
Throughout the period of incarceration and waiting in variousplaces, no accurate information was provided and no one was yetable to speak with a lawyer. Bagged meals were provided, with the same contents as the day before.
At around 12:30pm, legal aid and Direct Action Network lawyerswere finally allowed to speak with a handful of arrestees, mostly those who had given their names. Anthony and Carlyle spoke with a legal aid organization that represented them in court.
At about 1:30pm, Carlyle was arraigned before a judge on the charges of failure to disperse and pedestrian interference. The bail amount of $190 was dropped, as was the latter charge. A pre-trial hearing date of December 27, 1999 was set for the first charge, a gross misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison and $5000 fine upon conviction. Release papers were issued at the end of the arraignment, but Carlyle was told by guards that release would take six to twelve hours.
A similar routine was followed throughout the day and evening, and women, both "Jane WTOs" and those who had given their names, were taken from one holding room to another. Several arrestees were served release papers simply because police officers were unable to provide the proper reports to the court.
The women were finally placed in a cell with some seating, a toilet, and water. However, the water did not function, and only tiny sips were available, clearly inadequate for sixty people. Bagged meals were provided, with the same contents as the day before, except that the sandwich meat was separately packaged and vegetarians could eat the bread.
The guards made a lot of noise about the fact that, because they were so inclined to do a favour, the Direct Action Network lawyers were allowed to speak with arrestees in the holding cell in the courthouse building. Guards remained in the room, so only general updates were provided. Arrestees were allowed to be kept in detention for up to 72 hours from the time of arrest until the arraignment, and then another 24 hours after release papers are received by the jail (both time periods exclude weekends and holidays). However, the Direct Action Network legal team noted a number a abuses since the time of arrest. They also said that support for non-violent protestors, both on the ground and in the media portrayal of events, was growing. Choruses of "This is what democracy looks like!" all around.
Evening In the early evening, inmates were informed that the jail building was in "full lock-down mode" because protestors had encircled it, opposing the protracted mass detentions and the lack of access to proper amenities and legal counsel. Arrestees were told nonsensically that it was the fault of these supporters that arrestees had to wait so long without proper amenities.
By this time, the arrestees had learned that, even if it meant worse physical conditions, it was better to stay together anyway. Most had been served release papers. People began swopping stories about what they had seen and heard in the jail, with intention of lodging complaints:
Night
As inmates were taken back to the jail, all were pat-down searched before entering the cell-block area. One older woman flinched as her pelvic bone was jarred. When she complained of being handled with unnecessary roughness, she was promptly tackled to the ground by three male guards, beaten, and had her arms and ankles twisted almost far enough to break.
Because of the lock-down, the phones in the cell block commonareas were turned off. No one had been able to make calls all day.
Those who had been served release papers were told that phones would be available in the release holding area, "if they hadn't been wrecked".
Anthony was released at about 10:00 pm. Anthony contacted theKing County Prison to inquire about Carlyle. Anthony was told that Carlyle had been released at 9:46pm. Meanwhile, Carlyle was with seven other women in a holding cell at King County, awaiting release. The women thought they had been moved mostly because more beds were needed in the cell blocks.
From about 9:15pm Thursday until 1:30am Friday, Carlyle and theseven other women waited in a cold, cramped holding cell. The cell was supposed to be equipped with phones, but they had been removed. There was seating room for only four people. One elderly woman had a bad cough, but was refused a blanket, even though cold air was being pumped into the room. The women huddled on the dirty floor to keep her warm.
Early Morning
Near 1:30am, Carlyle was processed for release. The process took about half and hour. None of the eight women release together were allowed to phone for a taxi from the jail.
Carlyle requested a form to retrieve her missing back-pack from the Public Safety Building's Evidence Section, but was told by King County officers that no form was required.
Morning
Near 9:00am, Carlyle went to the Evidence Section to retrieve her bag. She was informed that she should have received a form from King County Prison. She was given a complaints line number to contact. Carlyle also learned that two requests had been sent to the jail requesting vegetarian food. Carlyle had not been informed in jail that these requests had been received. Anthony and Carlyle had also been totally unaware that concerned friends and the Federation had contact the Canadian Consulate in Seattle and had called the jail several times asking after their whereabouts. Even after asking on Thursday if anyone had tried to contact them, Carlyle was told by guards that no one had called.
The arraignment and release process was repeated for all of the nearly 600 arrestees in King and Kent County prisons.
Early the following week, the Seattle Chief of Police resigned.