It was the result of anti-World Trade Organization protests organized at the group’s gathering in Seattle in 1999. Basically, the police see protesters axiomatically as bad, so they showed up in riot gear and started a riot. The media reported it as violent protestors, despite some of the people who just lived nearby and were trying to get to and from work getting caught up, kettled, teargassed, and beaten alongside protesters. I wasn’t there, but the Internet had become a thing, and IndyMedia.org had lots of first-person coverage. It was the same pattern we’ve seen ever since cell phones with cameras have become ubiquitous: The video shows that the cops get violent and then lie about it.
Never heard of the Battle of Seattle. What was it about?
It was the result of anti-World Trade Organization protests organized at the group’s gathering in Seattle in 1999. Basically, the police see protesters axiomatically as bad, so they showed up in riot gear and started a riot. The media reported it as violent protestors, despite some of the people who just lived nearby and were trying to get to and from work getting caught up, kettled, teargassed, and beaten alongside protesters. I wasn’t there, but the Internet had become a thing, and IndyMedia.org had lots of first-person coverage. It was the same pattern we’ve seen ever since cell phones with cameras have become ubiquitous: The video shows that the cops get violent and then lie about it.