On November 30, 1999, Capitol Hill became a battleground as police clashed with protesters and the city’s downtown core erupted in confrontation. The World Trade Organization had come to Seattle bringing all the world’s problems with it — and exposing plenty of Seattle’s along the way. Not every moment was warfare. Much of the protest and activism was the kind of thing you see here. Regular folks taking a stand. Or a sit. Of course, regular folks also fought back. We’ll have more of that story this week — if you have memories you’d like to share, please add to these posts in the comments — but, first, let’s focus on a present-day gathering of activists on Capitol Hill.
Next weekend, Seattle University, New Hope Baptist Church and Town Hall host a free series of workshops and events to mark the anniversary of the protests. Here’s more from Seattleplus10.org:
THE PEOPLE’S SUMMIT Nov 27-29
WTO+10: Global Justice Forward!
On Nov 30th the World Trade Organization (WTO) will host a “restart” meeting in Geneva – 10 years to the day from when we shut down the Seattle WTO! On Dec 7th, the United Nations Conference on Climate Change opens in Copenhagen. These are uncertain times and much is at stake: Join us to reclaim and amplify our voices with the vision we have for a healthy planet and people. Let’s harness the spirit of the 1999 WTO protests in Seattle with a renewed commitment to move global justice forward!
Friday Nov 27 through Sunday Nov 29: three days of plenaries, workshops and a cross-sector strategy session, held at Seattle University, New Hope Baptist Church and Town Hall. Visit www.seattleplus10.org for a full list of speakers, plenaries, and workshops!
