Seattle--Mayor has called CIVIL EMERGENCY

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

What does Civil Emergency imply. Will they call in the National guard or the Feds or what. It looks like it is beginning. I have two Grown children in Seattle. It is my home town. I have grand children there. I have tried to warn, warn, and warn them. Now it is probably too late. They are so material minded it makes me sick.

-- Gay Boling (wilber@montanasky.net), November 30, 1999

Answers

Having been to Seattle many times on business, I was saddened to see the teargas on the corner where I used to buy the best latte I ever had (skip the Starbucks, gimme SBC any day). However, that being said, the situation in Seattle has been poorly handled thus far and looks to get worse before it gets better. It appeared to me to be the old "ah, nothing to worry about, just a bunch of hippies" attitude underestimated the organized protests that are occurring.

My sincere hope is that no one is killed or badly injured. Protest is one thing, riots are quite another. Unless your kids live in downtown seattle, which is unlikely (the riots were near Union St.) I don't think they have much to worry about. Unfortunately, all this bullshit with protesting may take the eyes off of REAL bad guys elsewhere. God bless all the boys who're tasked with keeping order there. And to you protestors, calm down, you're message won't be heard if you're screaming like a banshee.

-- Gordon (g_gecko_69@hotmail.com), November 30, 1999.


The Mayor of Seattle is asking the Governor to release the National Guard for use downtown.There is a curfew that takes effect at 7 pm local time. Whether or not the national guard will be released has yet to be announced.

-- Peace Farmer (peacefarmer@thefarm.veg), November 30, 1999.

Gay, Don't worry about them to much I am sure they are wise enough to stay out of the thick of it, especially if they are materialistic, got kids like that too maybe they will wise up for it is to late. sandy

-- sandy (rstyree@overland.net), November 30, 1999.

Facts please. Link Please.

-- Jack Webb (crickett@123.456), November 30, 1999.

NO my children live North of Seattle, but one son works a Boeings and must go through Seattle to get home. He is a smart lad though, so I pray he will get there safely

-- Gay boling (wilber@montanasky.net), November 30, 1999.


Saying on News police used concussion cannisters.

Yep, Civil Emergency, curfew, troops moving in. TV news said latest is 30 troops but they want way more. Clinton due to arrive tomorrow. And the whole world is watching.

a 31-day PREVIEW, folks, while everything's still up & purrrrrrrring.

It is utterly foolish to EVER burn buildings or break windows. That destroys the message and any goodwill the local folks may have had for the protests.

With Y2K the element of starvation and fury and revenge at the deliberate lies and betrayal will change the dynamics. Still, it is wrong and stupid and counterproductive to destroy property.

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), November 30, 1999.


Just a touch of what is to come I'm afraid. My prayers to those who are caught in it. Times are getting rough and this country is splitting at the seams. How much longer...

-- Rob (maxovrdrv51@hotmail.com), November 30, 1999.

A&L, Yes, stupid to be destructive. Still, having read so much stuff in the past few months and having seen the duplicity of the government, one wonders what the World Trade Organization is cooking up and how it will hurt ordinary workers here and abroad. Not that tI think they intend it that way...

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), November 30, 1999.

Gordon:

The news reports don't mention tear gas but pepper spray [for what it is worth; try cnn.com]. Of course, it such choatic situations, it may be a while before we get the facts. Not to make light of a serious situation, but I just got back from Seattle. I don't know how protests could worsen traffic congestion. I question the reports that named Seattle only the 3rd worst for the problem. I've been to the number 1 and 2 this year and my experience differs.

Best wishes and hope your relatives are fine,,,,

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), November 30, 1999.


From KOMO TV Web Site fair use and all that jazz . URGENT: Emergency Declared Over WTO Protests November 30, 1999 SEATTLE - In a scene reminiscent of anti-war protests of the 60's, Seattle mayor Paul Schell has declared a civil emergency because of WTO demonstrations that turned violent Tuesday afternoon. The mayor is imposing a curfew to run from 7 p.m. tonight until 7:30 a.m. Wednesday. As evening set on the scene, it became apparent that many of those roaming the streets were bent on common vandalism and not part of the original protestors who had vowed non-violence. For that reason, the mayor's curfew will extend from Denny Way south to Yesler and from the waterfront to I-5. Everyone in the downtown area, protestors or otherwise, are told to leave the area. Only official traffic will be allowed. At last report, 22 people had been arrested. The State Patrol has confirmed that up to 300 state troopers will be made available. The mayor has also requested and been granted from the governor two units of National Guard troops that will be brought in Wednesday morning. These troops have been trained in crowd control and will be used to back up the Seattle police officers.

-- Peace Farmer (peacefarmer@thefarm.veg), November 30, 1999.


Links all over the place, on all the news. If you are a newbie to cruising News Sites, start with Drudge Report. He's got Links there to just about everything :-)

For facts about Seattle at the mo (but conditions changing fast there):

Seattle mayor sets curfew to curb WTO protests

"A Washington state spokesman said state Gov. Gary Locke, at the request of the city, had agreed to send in two National Guard forces experienced in crowd control."

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), November 30, 1999.


Whether it is ignorant to destroy and to riot is completely irrelevent. The fact is, it is happening. Words of disgust will not change the broken glass or broken lives that result from this. Reality is what it is and for those who aren't ready to handle that reality, they will be sorely dissapointed when their words fail them. In no way do I condone this action by the protestors. I sympathize with their frustrations. I am one who is out a job at the present because my job was just divvied up between Isreal and China. If my work would have remained stateside, I would still be employed. Now, I search for work all the while knowing I feel better that someone in China and Israel have food on their table. I try to not be bitter about the matter, but Christmas will be slim this year, to say the least. I do see their point. Reality is on my doorstep.

-- Rob (maxovrdrv51@hotmail.com), November 30, 1999.

On Drudge now:

OUT OF CONTROL: SEATTLE MAYOR DECLARES NIGHT CURFEW AS UNREST CONTINUES
POLICE TO CLEAR STREETS
HOTELS GO INTO LOCK-DOWN MODE
A few minutes past 5 pm [PT] officials at the hotel Clinton was to stay in made an unusual announcement -- in English, followed by Japanese. "We are in a lock-down situation. For your safety we would ask that those of you who are guests in this hotel please go to your rooms at this time," hotel officials announced. The hotel was the seat of the U.S. trade delegation, led by U.S. Trade Rep Charlene Barshefsky... [Hey, here's a BIG CLUE !! ]

A series of explosions rocked the downtown area as police cast a giant cloud of noxious gas over the core of downtown Seattle...

Seattle's first curfew since Vietnam-war era protests nearly three decades ago...

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), November 30, 1999.


Local news comes from Seattle--

Non-stop local news, no breaks for ads! 2 units of National Guards have been "released" by Gov. Locke. Will be arriving in a.m. tomorrow for Prez C's visit. They have stressed that the Nat'l Guard will not be armed.

A curfew has been set for 7pm tonite for much of the waterfront to I5 in downtown Seattle. It seems that most people left on the street are very hostile (breaking windows, painting on walls and police cars, buses). The main protesters have left the area and it does seem that most people left there are not protesting anything but confronting the police. Actually, by the information I'm seeing it seems like the police are excercising notable restraint!

I'm impressed and heartened by the official response thus far.

That's the news from the front--sorry no links...

-- Cath (fin@llyGI.now), November 30, 1999.


Seattle has been nervous about this from the very beginning. They did not underestimate the problem at all. They are simply overrun with people.

The whole timing of this is nutty. Why in Seattle - one of the bigest centers in this country for environmental activism and why now? So close to the witching hour.

Is it a way to get all the activists together? Is it a way to label them as terrorists? Is it a trial run for martial law?

I don't know. All I know is that some of my idiot friends decided they were going to go and protest. I hope this does not get worse before it gets better but I have had bad feelings about this from the start.

Prayers to all.

-- River Soma (Riversoma@aol.com), November 30, 1999.



the difference between 1969-70-71-72 is that the folks doing the demonstrating were COMMITTED to NON-VIOLENCE as a way of life! the REASON for the demonstrations was BECAUSE of the violence elsewhere.

THIS set of demonstrators considers non-violence (NO caps) to simply be an opening tactical gambit. PLUS there are enough peripheral idiots that WANT to TRASH WHATEVER THEY CAN, wholly irregardless of the point of the action, as to destroy any cohesive point being made.

Having said that, WATCH CLOSELY, people, as you are about to see what hapens if you try to steal this Prez's "Legacy" from him. Do NOT think that the mayor has been left alone in the decisions tonight. I would bve VERY surprised if he has NOT heard "Clean it up up there or I will send people who WILL clean it up."

They want this round of talks named the Clinton Round. the Brits and some of the Europeans want it named the Millenium Round. Think billy is gonna settle for anything LESS than the Bill J. Clinton Round of WTO Talks?? I gots a bridge for sale to anyone who does.

Watch. Learn. MUCH will be revealed in the next 48 hours.

Chuck who understands the dynamics of crowd control from MANY angles, inside and outside of the crowds.

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), November 30, 1999.


What the hell does this have to do with Y2K??? It is not some kinfd of preview of anything Y2K so stop trying to connect them together.

There were tens of thousands of protesters who marched peacfully, when 15 or 20 went around breaking windows and writing grafitti. The protesters tried to stop them.

Unfortunatly the media made it sound like they were free to do distruction, so when school let out every little gangbanger and scateboarder started calling each other to head downtown to join in. The kids are running around talking on their phones to friends laughing and telling how much fun they are having.

The national guard is not here. The police are clearing the streets with tear gas right now. The WTO protesters are upset because they were non-violent and don't like the fact that the media helped propagate the violence.

There had better be some parents learn how to control their kids. It looks like every old hippy has decided to join in. Just now some guy was on his knee's with his arms up trying to get arested, the police line just walked around him.

-- Cherri (sams@brigadoon.com), November 30, 1999.


Just up on AP Breaking News (URL to change rapidly):

11/30/99 -- 9:08 PM

Visiting state governor dragged from screaming Seattle crowd

SEATTLE (AP) - Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, trapped in a screaming mob as he headed to a World Trade Organization meeting, was dragged to safety by bodyguards as protesters pummeled a state trooper bending over Vilsack to protect him.

``It was a little bit more frightening than the earthquake I was in,'' Vilsack said in a telephone interview. ``You could see the faces of people screaming at you.''

Vilsack found himself in the middle of a deadly earthquake in September while on a trade mission to Taiwan. He was caught up Tuesday among protesters trying to halt a conference of the 135-nation World Trade Organization.

The governor said neither he nor security aides were injured, but he was shaken by the events.

In the interview, Vilsack said he was accompanied by an Iowa Highway Patrol trooper, who routinely provides his security, and by two officers provided by Washington state authorities.

They were headed for the WTO session by car but found the road blocked by protesters.

``The auto route wasn't going to work, so we decided to walk,'' Vilsack said. He said the crowd initially showed no inclination toward violence, until his contingent was in the midst of the demonstrators.

``We got right in the middle of them, and people started screaming,'' Vilsack said. A trooper moved to protect Vilsack, the governor said.

``He was hit, he was kicked, he was punched,'' said Vilsack. ``He was punched and kicked as he draped himself over me.''

The other troopers pulled Vilsack from the crowd, and he was hustled back to his hotel room.
------------------------------------------------

This is WRONG. No reason for violence!

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), November 30, 1999.


The "William Jeffreson Blythe Clinton" talks, to be precise.

-- ooohhhwillie (axemansrv1@aol.com), November 30, 1999.

The " William Jefferson Blythe Clinton" talks, to be precise. Or is that Klintonista?

-- no willie noooo (axemansrv1@aol.com), November 30, 1999.

Only slightly off topic but very popular subject.

-- Guy Daley (guydaley@bwn.net), November 30, 1999.

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/19991130/ts/wto_leadall_37.html

Tuesday November 30 9:33 PM ET

Violence Wreaks Havoc at WTO Meeting Start

Protests Continue At WTO Summit

By Martin Wolk SEATTLE (Reuters) - Thousands of protesters fought running battles with police on Tuesday, throwing the start of global trade talks into disarray and prompting worried officials to declare a civil emergency and call in the national guard.

As delegates to the World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting tried to hold negotiations on the agenda of a new round of global trade talks in Seattle, anti-trade activists clashed with police who tried to clear the city center.

In scenes reminiscent of U.S. civil rights and anti-war protests of the 1960s and 1970s, police in full riot gear used tear gas and shot rubber pellets they called ``stingers'' to clear protesters who had clogged the streets and blocked access to the convention center where the WTO meeting was being held.

Masked protesters broke windows of shops, set fire to trash cans and hurled tear gas canisters back at police.

At the posh Westin Hotel, where U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky and her Japanese counterparts were staying, guests were told to go to their rooms for fear demonstrators would storm the hotel.

Undeterred, trade ministers representing the 135 WTO members went ahead and delivered dry speeches about their vision for the global trading system.

Seattle Mayor Paul Schell declared a civil emergency and said he would impose a 7 p.m.-to-dawn curfew for the city's downtown area and police immediately began clearing the city center.

Governor Gary Locke called up two national guard units specializing in crowd control and ordered them to the streets of Seattle to assist police forces already at the scene.

Police had running battles with anti-trade activists throughout the day as about 16,000 labor union members and other workers staged a peaceful march to voice their demand that worker rights be a part of future trade deals.

``I don't believe the WTO represents labor,'' said Donnie Gill, 29, a longshoreman from nearby Tacoma, as he marched in the demonstration.

``In their attempt to bring about a global economy, they are lowering everyone's living standards. It's only a matter of time before they come after us.''

Activists chanted ``Whose world? Our world. Whose streets? Our streets'' as banners accused the WTO of enriching big business at the expense of the environment, jobs and communities.

Moore Defends Wto

WTO chief Mike Moore, his voice brimming with emotion, defended the organization that regulates global trade, saying that protesters demanding its destruction were working against poor people and developing countries.

``To those who argue that we should stop our work, I say: tell that to the poor, to the marginalized around the world who are looking to us to help them,'' the former New Zealand prime minister told a news conference.

But Moore, a 50-year-old one-time labor union organizer, insisted that the WTO's meeting through December 30, ``will be a success'' despite a delayed start.

Sympathetic protests in London turned violent when activists opposed to capitalism and the WTO meeting attacked police, overturned vehicles and ignited a major fire outside one of London's main railway stations on Tuesday. President Clinton is due to arrive in Seattle on Wednesday morning and said he will talk to protesters.

Clinton told reporters in his Oval Office that he ''strongly, strongly believe that we should open the process up to all those people who are now demonstrating on the outside. They ought to be a part of it.''

The United States is seeking to create a panel within the WTO to address labor issues. The proposal is adamantly opposed by many developing nations who see it as a protectionist ploy by rich, developed nations.

Delegates Frustrated

Some delegates expressed their extreme frustration at the delay of the meeting's start and the pressure they felt the demonstrations were exerting on this week's negotiations.

``I've never seen any meeting of this sort so badly organized and mishandled,'' said one senior developing country ambassador who heads his delegation at the WTO in Geneva.

``I'm convinced the Americans have let this happen to reduce the time available for negotiation and make it easier for them to put pressure on us to give in on issues vital to us,'' he added.

U.S. officials were apologetic, but held firm in their belief that a new round of talks to liberalize trade in agriculture, services and other business sectors would be launched this week.

``It's obviously very unfortunate that the sessions have been delayed, but the meetings will go on and we all realize the tremendous importance of success,'' Deputy U.S. Treasury Secretary Stuart Eizenstat said. U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky was among those kept in her hotel by the protests, U.S. and WTO officials said.

European Union officials said the unruly protests backed their position that the agenda of the new round of global trade talks should be broad and comprehensive.

``Those who put their arguments in the streets are calling for a broad agenda,'' European Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy told a news conference as a WTO conference got under way.

WTO members are sharply divided over the agenda for new trade talks, with minimum labor standards and agriculture among the most controversial issues.

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), November 30, 1999.


Let Klinton address the demonstators he feels should be a "part of it all" by defending GATT and NAFTA one last time. Flipping burgers and plucking chickens doesn't feed a family. Not to forget .. Republicans backed them, too. BEAR ARMS, OR WEAR CHAINS.

-- nowillienooo (axemansrv1@aol.com), November 30, 1999.

Folks:

Having been a young adult in the 60's, I only have one point to make. The press, radio and tv reports are fine, but you won't really know what is going on until tomorrow at the earliest. They are already contradicting each other. Be patient. It seems strange bringing this up on a forum where a large number of people don't trust these same sources.

Best wishes,,,

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), November 30, 1999.


All the world can be a stage, we are merely players, performers and portrayers, each anothers audience outside the guilded cage...

Protestors.....demonstrators.....throw a few bad apples in ....... ......kids........or NOT?.........violence.........Police and NG............curfews...........practice...........dis- illusioned.......hungry..........unemployed..............31days....... ...nobody knows........so many questions remain.

-- workofnations? (karlacalif@aol.com), November 30, 1999.


...And to think that the City actually competed to sponsor this fiasco. Our legacy-hungry mayor is looking ever so slightlhy deflated. Golly, gee whiz...and it's only going to cost $7,000,000. Oops...that was beFORE the violence and damage.

-- Greg Lawrence (greg@speakeasy.org), November 30, 1999.

Why are there protestors in Seattle?

Because Corporate executives "own" the elected officials (they contribute billions of dollars to get "their candidates" elected) of the countries represented in the W.T.O., they decide the laws and rules which govern both the individual countries AND world trade.

Corporate executives don't care about you, me or the environment. They care about profits. "We The People" have no "representative" at these trade negotiations. Decisions are being made at the W.T.O. RIGHT NOW that will result in the loss of tens of thousands of "living wage" jobs in industrialized countries like the United States, Canada and Eastern Europe.

Corporations cut worker benefits to increase their already annual record breaking profits. They shut down manufacturing plants in high wage countries (such as the United States) and move these jobs to low wage countries (such as Mexico and China) where labor laws and environmental laws are non-existant. The result is, they pay workers pennies per hour with no benefits while being allowed to dump toxic chemicals into the air and water. It's all done to arrive at the "least cost" to manufacture. Once the product is made, it's shipped to the United States (or another industrialized country) where it's sold for the SAME PRICE as it was when it was originally manufactured either here or in another "living wage & benefit" country.

Result: MEGA PROFITS for Corporations at the expense of living wages and benefits for "We The People" along with the trashing of our environment.

-- GoldReal (GoldReal@aol.com), November 30, 1999.


The motivations of the rioters isn't really the issue. The issue - for me - is the image I saw of a police officer calmly spraying a crowd of kneeling people with a large cannister of chemical irritant (cs or pepper, take your pick) to disable them.

We now demonstrably have the technology to effectively control crowds with a politically acceptable rate of serious injury and mortality. That makes it all the easier to do it, and do it habitually.

I understand the position of the emergency services. They NEED to be able to disperse rioters, both for their own protection, and to allow them to reach the injured and put out fires. But what I saw was largely indiscriminate disabling of basically peaceful and well intentioned citizens.

Ah sod it. I'm off to add another layer of concrete to my bunker. :(

-- Colin MacDonald (roborogerborg@yahoo.com), December 01, 1999.


From: Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr (pic), near Monterey, California

Colin said: I saw of a police officer calmly spraying a crowd of kneeling people with a large cannister of chemical irritant...Ah sod it. I'm off to add another layer of concrete to my bunker.

You saw it but how would you feel if you had experienced it first hand, as I have? My son got sick in early May from it and still is not over it! We didn't do anything wrong either. Maybe they are just trying to help us or keep things under control. It's no more off topic to discuss chemtrails than it is to discuss riot control measures. Off to adjust our gas masks, too.

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), December 01, 1999.


...make that chemtrails

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), December 01, 1999.

I understand the position of the emergency services. They NEED to be able to disperse rioters, both for their own protection, and to allow them to reach the injured and put out fires. But what I saw was largely indiscriminate disabling of basically peaceful and well intentioned citizens.

Ah sod it. I'm off to add another layer of concrete to my bunker. :(

-- Colin MacDonald (roborogerborg@yahoo.com), December 01, 1999.

There were peaceful protesters who wanted to be arrested, discussed it with the police and were told that there would be no symbolic arrests. They then chose to do what you saw, take a gassing for their symbolic martyrism. When it came to that point, the police asked people to move, gave them time to do so and then used the gas. They had to be moved for the situation was getting bad. There were some who went into the tear gas volentarily a number of times, I don't know what they were trying to prove, but the police used amazing restraint and did a great job. If all you look for is the "bad" stuff (police misbehavior) then you are going to take any picture or information and twist it around to fit the scenerio you want to see.

Oddly, in the same way some people do when looking for the bad news about Y2K.

-- Cherri (sams@brigadoon.com), December 01, 1999.


I walk through the riot zones to commute, listened all day on the radio, watched what I could. I remember Chicago '68. The Seattle police did a great job and showed great restraint, did the absolute minimum to clear streets and keep things from escalating. Nearly all of the demonstrators did the same, and apparently none of the permitted events got out of hand. I've got no complaints about how they handled yesterday.

-- bw (home@puget.sound), December 01, 1999.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ