driven around the other side of the building, out of view of supporters and the media. Police dressed in riot gear boarded the bus and forcibly removed people. As they got toward the rear of the bus, they started using pepper spray. While seated, I was sprayed in the face twice (long bursts at close range). They also held open some atrestees eyes while spraying into them. They then cuffed me and dragged me off by the hair.

Throughout our stay in jail, our rights were systematically removed in an effort to break our spirits and solidarity, and © to punish us. For 23+ hours a day they kept us locked up alone, or with one other _ prisoner. I was denied my right to see a lawyer (as +eswere many others). Other prisoners were subjected to extreme physical and ‘mental abuse.One _ woman’s nose was broken when her face was smashed down into the floor, then she was refused was left handcuffed naked on the floor ofa jail cell. Others were pepper sprayed, beaten, and thrown into walls. Some prisoners were refused essential medication (for HIV, diabetes, etc.). The aforementioned violence is just the tip ofthe iceberg. _

After the protesters were jailed, a protest camp was erected outside the jail. Most prisoners were released 3-5 days later, after the WTO conference was over.

In early January, City Attorney Mark Sidran announced that almost all of the remaining cases were to be dis- missed due to lack of evidence. This occured after many defendants had already invested a

and money to return to Seattle for arraignments and pre-trial hearings. These cl

show that they have the power to arrest us, strip us of our rights, keep us locked up for four days, then just dismiss the case due to a lack of evidence. It is clear that protesters were arrested on trumped up charges to get us off the streets where we might embarass some rich dictators (politicians & CEOs). ACLU and Amnesty International are investigating police brutal- ity, and victims will be filing civil suits in order to show those in power that they can’t just take away our rights and get away

In general , the mainstream media cooper- ated with the police by focusing coverage on the relatively few acts of vandalism, and mischaracterizing protest- ers as violent and danger- ous, while labelling police actions as provoked, necessary, tolerant - anything but violent. When windows were broken, the media con-

demned it as “violence”, but failed to tell us why these corporations (Gap, Starbucks, Macdonalds, Nike) were targetted, failed to tell us about the violence that these compa- nies perpetrate around the world. It didn’t seem to concern the media that non-violent protesters were arrested and as- saulted. They were more concemed with measuring the impact of the protests in “lost shopping days.” The day after the WTO conference, free busses and parking were an- nouriced, in an effort to spur people to make up for the “lost shopping days.”

The following week,

_ the police organized.

“Police Appreciation Day,” at Westlake Park, to congratulate themselves for ajob well done. Police gave out pizza and sold t-shirts that said “The Battle of Seattle.” Family and other brainwashed public were there to support the police, but we outnumbered them and we played music, sang, chanted, and argued with police supporters.

Many have said that Seattle was just the begin- ning. People active in the anti-war movement since the 60’s (or before) commented that they’ ve never seen or felt anything like it. The diversity and numbers, coupled with autonomous organizing, direct action, determina- tion, and solidarity, pro- vided hope that there is a future for our species and the planet.

Tens of thousands of people joined together in solidarity for justice. We used our power of num- bers - people power - to make a difference. There were labour groups, environmentalists, social justice and human rights activists, womens groups, students, farmers, anar- chists, church groups, many other groups, and

many regular people who -

had never protested anything in their life. Seattle radicalized thou- sands of people - showed people that we have the power, allowed them to feel the strength of resistance, and awakened people to the fact that our rights are far from guaran- teed. It showed millions of people, not only what the WTO is and what lengths the state will go to in order to protect it, but also that resistance against corporate rule is alive and well - and

growing.

In mid-April there is a World Bank / IMF (International Monetary Fund) conference in Washington, DC. Since these institutions are the other two pillars of the global economy (besides the WTO), many activists are planning to crash the party and shut it down like we did in Seattle. This sort of Direct Action will be a continuing tactic for stopping injustice. Follow- ing that is Mayday (May 1), billed as an interna- tional day of resistance, strikes, and street parties - a carnival against

The future is ours to create. Let’s make it a future of solidarity, resis- tance, and celebration. Just remember: we’ re fighting for freedom and love. The cops (and the rich) are only fighting for pay. Besides, there’s more of us than them! Most people just

haven’ t figured that off].

YET!