[DRAFT Posting] Dateline November 21, 2003, the morning after the Miami, FL demonstrations in opposition to the Free Trade Areas of the Americas (FTAA). The words "Bitter Sweet" come to mind. Lets start with the bitter news.

The mainstream media reports that the FTAA negotiators reached agreements on frameworks to advance or talks in July/Aug 2004, and January 2005. This was accomplished a half-day early.

Police blocked so many of the streets leading to the rally point at Biscayne Blvd and NE 2nd, from where I presently sit writing, that a reported 187 buses of activists, mostly labor, were unable to attend the permitted rally and march (this from a reliable source who was organizing in Miami for over a week prior to this week and who coordinated closely with the AFL-CIO organizers). Police also blocked the entrance to the amphitheater. This resulted in many seats being left empty during the rally, giving the appearance to mass media viewers of a small turn-out.

Bitter from the perspective of direct action activists who sought to bring down the security fence. Although they were able to attach ropes and begin the effort, they were repelled by rubber bullets, or bean bags, and small tear gas charges. The fence at the Sept 2003 WTO talks Cancun Mexico had been brought down, after which the demonstrators sat down, sending the World a powerful symbolic message.

Bitter for the direct action activists who confronted storm troopers in the afternoon of November 20. The labor-union sponsored march had ended immediately outside of my hotel at 3:30 in the afternoon. Earlier, the area below my hotel had been surrounded by 500 heavily armored storm troopers. They were now out of sight, except for a contingent who were about two blocks south toward the security fence around the Inter-Continental hotel where the negotiatons were being held. I had volunteered to team-up with a legal observer for the march because I had a cell phone. After the march, the legal observer dispatcher said the oberver's services were not needed until about 5pm. We retired to my hotel room where several other people were observing from above.

Our vantage point was fifteen floors directly above the what was to become a street battle on Biscayne, between NE 2nd St and NE 1st St. The line of troopers bisecting Biscayne Blvd was one block to our right (south) at about NE 1st St (Biscayne runs North/South).

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We noticed people moving toward the line of police, and several groups of people changing into black clothing. One person walked briskly toward the police line with a small black flag on a long thin pole. Soon, a crowd had positioned themselves in front of the police line. We noted several bright green hats in the crowd, indicating that legal observers were present. Given the strength of the police line, two deep or deeper, we expected a long stand-off. Within five minutes, our expectations were proved wrong as we observed people running from the police line and puffs of white smoke that were attributed to discharges of rubber bullets or bean-bags.

Fires were set in front of the advancing police line. Media camera people positioned themselves behind the first fire as the police line approached, they were taking hits from the bullets. It should be noted that rubber bullets can destroy an eye, and take out teeth (an unconfirmed report says that the forearm of a man in his sixties was fractured during this confrontation by a direct hit from on of these bullets). Dispite this, film footage by mainstream media showed one protester holding his arms out from his sides, walking backwards, slowly retreating as he taunted the police. It appeared that shots hit him several times. He did not appear to have body armor.

As police advanced, many activists made their way to the amphitheater for protection. Others remained in the street, resisting the advancing police. The action moved three blocks north to NE 4th St, where a second police was in a blocking formation, forcing the street fighters West on NE 4th.

At this point, we lost sight of the street fighting, and turned our attention to the TV coverage, which included views from helicopters. We could see the protesters build barriers and throw rocks as they retreated. Mainstream media reports that some sling shots were confiscated from a couple of the street fighters.

Personal Commentary: Local Channel 7 News was also bitterly biased, an embarassment to journalists. Miami Channel 6 was far superior.


On the sweet side, Miami Channel 6 provided generally fair and informed coverage. One female reporter on the street, , provided balanced perspective of the opposition view.

Steelworkers march below their bright blue flags.

It was also sweet to hear the labor unions speak in terms of a western hemisphere block. A steel worker union represtentative, who has traveled to Brazil for an exchange, said that they now view themselves as the "Steel Workers of the Americas."

After watching hundreds of police tighten their line around the area of Biscayne Blvd where the pre-march rally was being held, it was sweet to see a long column of triumphant steel workers arrive carrying bright blue flags in the brilliant sun.

It was sweet to hear reports that AFL-CIO President John Sweeny called the Mayor of Miami to voice his outrage that at the police blocking the entrance of the amphitheater and the streets leading to the rally.

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Police line the exits and entrances to the AFL-CIO rallying point, preventing the free movement of protesters.

It was sweet to hear so many people speaking spanish in attendance at this demonstration. It was sweet to see labor showing its stength. The sense of community among the widely varying participants was sweet.

My report is only one quick snap-shot perspective. The full implications of this week are yet to be known.