FTAA Minute-By-Minute Updates HERE Let's kick CNNs butt!

[brainshrub]

I have friends at in the protests at Miami and are contacting me via cell-phone. I will post as I can...but PLEASE post what you know. Let's break-up rumors as they pop up.

If you want, PM me & I'll give you my number so you can pass along it to more of the people in the streets. Let's get the news out from the boots on the ground, not the loafers in the mainstream media!

Perhaps we can swap numbers (via PMs & emails, not in this public forum) so we can flood each-others local news-media to demand greater coverage? (Just an idea)

Here is a good minute-by minute post from Indymedia:
http://www.ftaaimc.org/en/

[brainshrub]

1. Police Threaten to start arrests at noon

11-20-2003 11:01: afl cio

from a aflcio spokes person: they have negotiated w/ police that the protesters have until noon to enter the ampitheater. After noon, they will be sealin off the entrance and closing off the street and arresting everyone still there.

[E_Zapata]

2. can you fix the most important word in your paragraph: 'eter'

enter?

[Mika]

3. UNDERCOVER COPS DRAWING HANDGUNS ON CROWD

Cops dressed as protesters making arrests at gunpoint in the middle of the crowd!

[RevolutionStartsNow]

4. WTF?

Is this true? Somebody on-site reporting this?

[htuttle]

5. Several arrested by undercovers...

...then successfully UNARRESTED by protesters.

W00t!

Live Resistance Radio reports here:
http://www.ftaaimc.org/en/static/radio_en.shtml

[brainshrub]

9. Undercover hasn't...yet

According my contacts on the ground as of 11:34pm, they are making arrests, but no guns have been drawn

ON EDIT: See post #15. They started pulling guns.

[htuttle]

13. Resistance Radio has another report of police guns drawn

Rifles, apparently, being pointed at someone who was pulled out of the crowd and thrown down on the ground.

[htuttle]

16. More on this, just in

From http://www.ftaaimc.org/en/index.shtml

11-20-2003 11:31: police attack steelworkers
cops knocked down 5-6 steelworkers outside amphitheater, preparing tasers and tear gas. One protester lying on the ground immobile. AFL mediating

11-20-2003 11:31: Cops Pull Guns
Cops are leading into Bayfront Amphithetre. Things "look chaotic" up there. Cops have pulled their guns and pointed them at people. Someone is on the ground with rifles pointed at him. AFL-CIO marshalls trying to talk the police down.

[veganwitch]

17. kent state anyone???

good gravy.

i fear for this world.

[veganwitch]

14. they have now!!

11-20-2003 11:31: police attack steelworkers
cops knocked down 5-6 steelworkers outside amphitheater, preparing tasers and tear gas. One protester lying on the ground immobile. AFL mediating

11-20-2003 11:31: Cops Pull Guns
Cops are leading into Bayfront Amphithetre. Things "look chaotic" up there. Cops have pulled their guns and pointed them at people. Someone is on the ground with rifles pointed at him. AFL-CIO marshalls trying to talk the police down.

11-20-2003 11:22: Steelworkers Showing Up / Trabajadores del Acero Aparecen
Union members started to show up. Steelworkers are at the amphitheatre. Protestors at the fence slowly being pushed back to the amphitheatre. Concussion grenades going off, pepprespray fired. People are rallying witht he labor unions. All directions are moving towards the amphitheatre.

[JanMichael]

23. Good gawd...Sounds very, very, tense.

Is it crazy to be lamenting the fact that I can't be there?

[htuttle]

24. Naw, it's not crazy

I was sitting here at work listening to the stream and banging pots and pans together until my coworkers finally pleaded with me to stop...


:evilgrin:

[veganwitch]

6. the 7 anarchists that were arrested for burglary

and charge with have incindiary devices and a sling shot?



sternos for cooking and innertubes. and those chains and padlocks are probably for their bikes (if they have bike innertubes) or personal protection knowing what they are up against. they had been squating in an abandoned house.

http://ftaaimc.org/en/2003/11/895.shtml

[G_j]

7. not minute by minute, but compelling daily updates

Miami Journals by Starhawk, here, http://www.starhawk.org/activism/activism-writings/miami_journals.html

[brainshrub]

8. undercover cops violently arresting people without provocation

11-20-2003 11:08:
undercovers just tackled black bloc person and dragged him behind the police line at biscayne and second.

another individual was subjected to the same treatment, but was successfully unarrested...

[brainshrub]

10. People are rallying with the labor unions

11-20-2003 11:22:
Union members started to show up. Steelworkers are at the amphitheatre. Protestors at the fence slowly being pushed back to the amphitheatre. Concussion grenades going off, pepprespray fired. People are rallying witht he labor unions. All directions are moving towards the amphitheatre.

[eileen_d]

11. If I were there, I'd carry this sign

"Why do you hate our freedom?"

[veganwitch]

12. too fucking good

*remembers that for next protest*

[brainshrub]

15. Cops Pull Guns

11-20-2003 11:31:
Cops are leading into Bayfront Amphithetre. Things "look chaotic" up there. Cops have pulled their guns and pointed them at people. Someone is on the ground with rifles pointed at him.

AFL-CIO marshalls trying to talk the police down.

[veganwitch]

18. the police are now arresting anyone trying to go to the march

11-20-2003 11:42: 4 people arrested, badly beaten
A group of direct action folks were standing in the ampitheater waiting to join the legal march when riot cops surrounded them. 4 people were tasered and beaten badly with batons. After this unwarranted brutality, the four people were arrested.

[brainshrub]

19. Crowd growing at Amphitheater.

11-20-2003 11:48:

Entrance of Bayside Park, on Biscayne. Crowd is growing at the amphitheater. One person broke through police lines, quickly subdued. 1000's of people there.

According to NPR: Police massive presence. Police seen with paint on their visors.

[brainshrub]

20. Mayor drives off, protestors bang car.

Host interviewing cameraman on MSNBC:

camerman claims that he saw the mayor of maimi giving an interview, when the protestors realized it was the mayor they surrounded him and started chanting. Then, the mayor hurried into his car and was driven off. The protestors were banging on the car as it drove off.

[brainshrub]

21. Police are saying there are "official" and "un-official" protestors.

11-20-2003 12:33: ID Required
Police are saying there are "official" and "un-official" protestors. They are requiring ID to get inside the Amphitheatre for the AFL-CIO march.

[JanMichael]

22. What the hell happened to the 1st Amendment?

That Right to Assembly is getting battered these days.

[bigtree]

25. Who's Streets?

:kick:

[brainshrub]

26. NPR reports people in hospital

According to NPR: Lots of clashes with police. Several people in the hospital.

AP: Reports 1000 people.

My own sources, who are in the streets at Miami, say that the number is closer to 2000.

The police are detaining about 185 busses at check-points. (Figure 300 people MINIUM)

[prolesunited]

38. On what grounds

can they just detain buses?

[brainshrub]

27. Teargas Used

NPR: Protestors attempted to take down a barrier, the police opened fire w/ teargas. They are pushing the protesters farther away.

[JanMichael]

28. KICK!

:kick:

[brainshrub]

29. Provocateurs Among Protesters

< 11-20-2003 13:45 >

Report from the street that there have been small groups of Provocateurs trying to blend into the crowd and attempting to provoke protesters into doing things that will get them quickly arrested. Person who reported this said that IMC reporters have video footage proof.

[donsu]

30. few min. ago I tried the Miami TV stations and none were covering

the protest and police violence. had soaps on.

this is strange for Miami TV who show everything/anything that is going on in the city.

thanks for having this thread. the only news I had was cnn's reports and you know how they go.

[brainshrub]

31. Yeah, they suck.

I'm not posting half the stuff I'm hearing from my friends in Miami...I try to wait for the ftaaimc.org site to confirm it, or I call the info-line to get the straight dope.

As of this post, I hear the cops are getting tired of having to carry all the equipment. LOL.

[brainshrub]

32. Pic of plainclothes cop pulling gun on protestor

this is a picture from around 11:30 or so this morning. we were sitting and noticed a group of about a dozen middle-aged men moving rather quickly - it was pretty clear they were undercover police. a minute later, they tackled several demonstrators and dragged them off behind police lines, zapping them with tazer guns all the while. from what we could tell, the protestors were doing nothing outside the ordinary. you can see in this picture very clearly the gun, and the one cop that wrote "FTAA SUCKS" on his backpack.

[donsu]

33. Miami media not covering this is very weird!

who paid off or threatened these three stations?

[bigtree]

35. miami web-cam

good shot of a piece of march

Click on tower cam
http://www.click10.com/index.html

[brainshrub]

44. 3pm pictures

Pictures posted at 3pm:

[slaveplanet]

45. Um-that's not a gun

it's a taZer

[brainshrub]

34. View unedited video here:

Okay, you can go to http://ftaaimc.org/en/index.shtml but they have been very slow & links keep going down.

I'm going to donate my own bandwidth to this cause. As of this post, I have one video of the Police tear-gassing protestors at the fence. If anyone has anything else let me know & I'll update the page.

www.brainshrub.com

If your going to get the video from my site PLEASE right-click and save the material to your own computers to save bandwidth.

[goodhue]

36. kick n/t

[brainshrub]

37. Police ready to sweep park

< 11-20-2003 15:12 >
Reports are coming in that riot police appear to be getting ready to sweep Bayfront park.

From my sources on the street: The Police want the protestors gone before Miami Rush-hour hits. They are getting more aggressive.

From CNN: Michael Jackson got arrested today. (Have I mentioned today how much I HATE the corporate mainstream media?)

[veganwitch]

39. if you are ever feel you getting attacked...

by the black bloc, leftist, commies, the unions, immigrants etc. its probably a counter-attack!!!


we wouldnt want the cops all dressed up for no reason! at the oct. 25 march i was shotting "if you dont show them (batons etc.) you wont need them."

[brainshrub]

40. Demonstrators moving in on the fences.

11-20-2003 15:37 ] demonstrators are moving on the fence
reports coming in that about 200 protestors are moving on the fence and the police guarding it

< 11-20-2003 15:34 > official police report on arrests
56 arrests as of 3PM, 6 of which were felonies

[htuttle]

41. Details from live reports on Resistance Radio

Turning into a battle at the fence. Police shooting off concussion grenades, pepper spray, and some sort of green gas.

Another report of rubber bullets/wooden dowel rounds being fired at the crowd. Live report sounded very, very loud.

[brainshrub]

43. Screaming

I was on the phone with a friend who is there, then there was big "BOOM!" Lots of screaming & I heard a few gunshots. Then the phone went dead.

[veganwitch]

42. was just about to post the same thing

great minds think alike!!

6 felonies!!!!!!

what the fuck!!!

[goodhue]

46. concussion grenades, rubber bullets & chemical weapons

http://ftaaimc.org/en/

< 11-20-2003 16:08 > protesters being pushed westward on second. concussion grenades have been fired.
protesters being pushed westward on second. concussion grenades have been fired.

< 11-20-2003 16:06 > Rubber Bullets
Police have cleared Biscayne. Firing rubber bulles into the crowd, laid off on the tear gas because the wind has picked up. CHarging against the demonstrators pushing them into a parking lot.

< 11-20-2003 16:01 > Update fromt he Fence
Riot policing are advancing North on Biscayne. Using 3 or 4 different chemical weapons (blue-green cloud). People at the front beleived that this was started by provocateurs. About 250 riots cops on Biscayne flanked by a couple vans. About 800 people being pushed down 3rd away from the fence.

< 11-20-2003 16:00 > rubber bullets being used against protestors on biscayne
imc reporter hit by a rubber bullet on biscayne, was caught in the salvoes of chemical and projectile weapons being fired by the police on the demonstrators.

[brainshrub]

47. Police shooting at protestors who are holding hands

From Randi Rhodes show: The Police are provoking people. Shot Police not telling people where to go.

Man shot in the face twice.

So far, all shoots seem to be rubber & wooden bullets.

[brainshrub]

48. People Panicing. Union Leaders calming people, trying to talk down cops.

Info from talking on the phone.

[bigtree]

49. MSNBC

Big stormtrooper force moving south on foot

Looks bad

[goodhue]

50. police violence

FTAA Demonstrators Take to the Streets, Met with Police Violence
Josh Marcus , 11.20.2003 12:38

Summary of news reports posted to the site

http://ftaaimc.org/en/2003/11/1159.shtml

As the demonstrators gathered in greater numbers on Thursday, the police began aggressively declaring the demonstration an "unlawful assembly" and assaulting the participants with physical attack, including hitting them with batons and bicycles, with chemical weapons, including what seemed to be tear gas, pepper spray, and an unknown chemical, as well as tazer (electric devices that cause pain and unconsciousness) and rubber bullet attacks. At 14th and 2nd St., police "ran over a cyclist" according to reports from demonstrators.

Demonstrators challenged commercial media reports that they were attacking police officers. One woman struck over the head by the police was insistent that "this was a peaceful demonstration" as she was taken away by medics.

There were many reports of police intimidation, including a report that some demonstrators were followed by men (apparently police officers) dressed as protestors (including an anti-FTAA t-shirt) who carried a 9mm pistol on his lap and told the demonstrators "you don't want to fuck with us."

The police blocked streets, denying the movement of the early morning march as well as blocking union vans attempting to join the AFL-CIO march later in the day. Throughout the day, the police have herded demonstrators into contained areas on the streets, where they then proceeded to demand the demonstrators disperse, as well as fire tear gas, water cannons, and physically attack protesters with batons. There are reports of up to 185 buses that have been stopped enroute to Miami, or right outside of Miami, on their way to peaceably march against the FTAA. While the AFL-CIO has invited other demonstrators to join their march, the police are demanding identification at times to enter the amphitheater where they are assembling and speaking.

[goodhue]

51. people hurt

http://ftaaimc.org/en/

< 11-20-2003 16:15 > People Hurt
Corner of Ne 3rd and 2nd. 3rd is blocked at Biscayne. People blocked off in both directions. Medics are treating a head wound. People can still exit down 3rd st. People are not confronted the police.

< 11-20-2003 16:14 > protesters holding ground
3rd st between biscayne and 1st. thousands of people are holding the barracade.

< 11-20-2003 16:13 > Police Brutality
People have been hit by tear gas, bleeding from the ear. People are standing strong through the pain. On 3rd St the police are pushing demonstrators west. Police shooting randomly into the crowd.

< 11-20-2003 16:11 > People Hurt
People trying to get from ground zero to the wellness center. At 1st Ave and 3rd st. There may be a third push to the fence.

[goodhue]

52. bullets fly

http://ftaaimc.org/en/

< 11-20-2003 16:29 > Pepper spraying - Gas pimienta
People pushed back to amphitheatre and as far aback as Miami Dade Comm. College. IMC journalist severly pepper-sprayed, people throwing tear gas back into the police.

La gente fue empujada hacia el anfiteatro y bastante más atrás. Un periodista de IMC severamente alcanzado por gas pimienta, la gente tira de vuelta el gas lacrimógeno a la policía.

< 11-20-2003 16:28 > indiscriminate shootings
rubber bullets continue to fly. many people shot in the head and face, including journalists. reports of one corporate journalist receiving a rubber bullet to the eye.

< 11-20-2003 16:25 > Police advancing
NE 3rd st. Police firing rubber bullets indiscriminantly. People moving forward but getting split up. Not enough people to hold a line against the cops. Police also advancing down NE 1st. Police are dividing the demonstrators shooting great numbers of projectiles.

< 11-20-2003 16:19 > AFL-CIO leaving
2-300 riot cops advancing west on Ne 3rd st on a crowd. AFL-CIO people scattering. Rubber Bullets and tear gas ran them away. Police aiming for people with masks and pepper spraying "wildly".

[brainshrub]

53. CTA is being raided

< 11-20-2003 16:45 > ctc is being raided
the citizen's trade campaign office at 217N Miami Ave. is being raided by the police right now

[htuttle]

54. CTC media office getting raided by police

From http://www.ftaaimc.org/en/index.shtml

< 11-20-2003 16:45 > ctc is being raided
the citizen's trade campaign office at 217N Miami Ave. is being raided by the police right now

[htuttle]

55. Conflicting reports now

RRadio nows says that report of CTC office getting raided appears to be false.

(more in a while)

[brainshrub]

56. Conflict...but the organisers say no, the CTC has not been raided.

[goodhue]

57. driving cruisers thru masses

http://ftaaimc.org/en/

< 11-20-2003 17:05 >
1st ave and 11th st (on railroad tracks). Police are trying to divide a couple hundred protesters by driving their cruisers through the masses. Several people have been bumped, no reported injuries due to the police cars.

1st Ave y calle 11 (sobre vías de tren). La policía intenta dividir a unos doscientos manifestantes conduciendo sus vehículos entre la multitud. Mucha gente fue embestida, no se informa de heridas debidas a los automóviles policiales.

[goodhue]

58. Cops are everywhere

http://ftaaimc.org/en/

< 11-20-2003 17:31 >
Driving up N Main, people walking towards convergence are being stopped and arrested. Looks like the cops are coming towards convergence space.

< 11-20-2003 17:19 >
21st and 1st NW. Cops are everywhere. DIverting traffic, cops are chasing people. Possibly herding folks back towards convergence center. Around 300 cops. Cops are not letting anyone downtown.

< 11-20-2003 17:16 >
NW 1st and 19th Cops are chasing protesters North towards the convergence center.

[bigtree]

59. resistance radio is down

They must have gotten raided.

They said they'd be back on after the raid (if it was to happen)
They said to check back.

http://ftaaimc.org/en/index.shtml

[htuttle]

61. Radio Free Georgia was relaying them, and are trying to get them back

I heard them right before the stream went out and they said that they were going to take the stream down for a few minutes, but that they'd be back. Radio Free Georgia is currently running music until the Resistance radio stream comes back.

(you know I just got this image of two guys boogying out the back alley door with a mixing board and a laptop...hope they have an alternate location worked out)

[bigtree]

62. Yeah. Same Image here.They sounded pretty confident that they'd be back.

Time to chill on a Democracy Now report
http://www.democracynow.org/streampage.pl :hippie:

[htuttle]

63. I think they are back up

They are playing music right now, but I'm getting the same music on all the relays, so I think that is the RR stream.

Live voice on now, saying that the convergence center hasn't been raided yet. I think the radio station is now in a different location, however.

[bigtree]

64. tense moments at the convergence center

police outside, no moves to raid. yet...

[htuttle]

67. Police *may* be backing off

From http://ftaaimc.org/en/

< 11-20-2003 18:44 >
The buzz around the convergence space is generally a festive air. People no longer expect a raid. Only two police units remain a block away. The media is still heavy. There are around 100-150 people in and around the convergence space.

In addition, it appears that THEY BLINKED:
FTAA Calling Off Day Two Of Talks In Miami
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=231842

There is corroboration in that thread from the Miami Herald, and also AP. Looks like they cancelled the rest of the FTAA conference.

[JanMichael]

60. Heard that the police blocked some 13 (or 30?) buses from getting downtown

On 88.5 WMNF Tampa.

That's a new one to me. Stop the protestors from ever getting to the protest...

[goodhue]

65. protest without protesters

Yes this is a new concept to me as well. Here is info about Amnesty International rally which proceeded with only speakers because police blocked access. There is a photo but I don't know how to post photo.

http://ftaaimc.org/en/2003/11/1213.shtml

Amnesty International planned a rally at the Torch of Friendship (Biscayne Blvd and NE 3rd St downtown right next to the AFL-CIO rally at bayfront park) was surrounded by police in riot gear before it started at 11am. The event did take place although no one other than the scheduled speakers were able to attend.

[JanMichael]

66. Amazing. Now Amnesty International is the enemy.

I suppose it was only a matter of time.

[G_j]

68. hey thanks

this has been a very useful thread.

As always, it's frustrating, especially when you friends who are there. I watched ABC news tonight and they barely mentioned it.
Chemical weapons, buses held, obvious 'disrupters', nothing to see here...

I appreciate the first hand reports. Thanks! :toast:

[kiahzero]

69. I was just flipping through channels, and I caught a blurb on FAUX

They admitted the police had agents in the groups... WTF?

I haven't been keeping track of this one, but is it going to be Genoa all over again?