PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

South Florida FTAA Update: September 2003
by david Saturday, Sep. 20, 2003 at 12:26 PM

latest FTAA organizing update from the folks in south florida

South Florida FTAA Update: September 2003

The following is the second of four South Florida Anti-Capitalist FTAA mobilization updates. These updates will try to provide an on-the-ground perspective into how all local efforts against the FTAA are progressing and will also disseminate all confirmed information about security preparations for the November ministerial meetings. Pre-requisite: a map of downtown Miami (mapquest, yahoo, or assorted others will suffice).


IN THE MEDIA

With two months remaining before FTAA ministerial week, local print media has been working overtime to insure that the only message reaching the population about capitalist globalization’s opponents is one of invasion and unruliness on a grand scale. Thanks to city authorities and the U.S. General Accounting Office, articles have recently begun floating the 100,000 figure for demonstrators expected in Miami this November (Miami Today, Broward Sun-Sentinel*). The basis for such an estimate is a mystery. However, coupled with constant references to the 1999 Seattle WTO ministerial and its side-show of "violence" (defined by one helpful Miami police spokesperson as "breaking storefront windows and vandalizing") the intent becomes very clear: creating a situation where actual participation is certain to fall short,

while also making the case for excessive security expenditures and the continual militarization of Miami's streets.

Taking their cue from city authorities and the elite, the South Floridians for Fair Trade and Global Justice (SFFTGJ) have used their scant media moments to obfuscate the true issues at hand even further – promising saintly peace (with an iron marshal fist for the disobedient) when promoting their national group-sponsored mass march while failing to emphasize why a presence in the streets is necessary in the first place (Miami Herald).

One footnote: The recent work of two local journalists bears mentioning. In her recent coverage of Cancun and Miami, Miami Herald business writer Jane Bussey manages to deal with trade policy issues relevant to both ministerials in an objective and engaging manner. Demonstrators and security are mentioned only briefly and in a reasonable context. At the other end of the spectrum, however, is Miami New Times' Tristram Korten. In addition to drubbing the POG, his latest column references the 1980 McDuffie riots as an example of what Miami has to look forward to in November. The McDuffie uprising was a bold, vicious, and significant response to the acquittal of four white police officers in the brutal murder of African-American resident Arthur McDuffie. Over three days, it left 18 people dead, over one thousand arrested, and a large part of northwest Miami burnt to the ground. Mr. Korten’s comparison is both an ignorant misrepresentation of the past and reckless sensationalism in a climate already rife with bewildering misinformation. *sources cited follow update


WEEK OF ACTION EVENTS

At the time of this writing, very little new information was available regarding the events taking place during the week of November 17-21. An adequate breakdown of the week's events can be found here: http://www.citizenstrade.org/miamicalendar.php. More information is forthcoming.

� The national group (AFL-CIO, Jobs with Justice, Citizens Trade Campaign, Public Citizen, Friends of the Earth, American Friends Service Committee, etc.) sponsored march planned for late afternoon on Thursday, November 20th, has yet to file for a permit with city authorities. Nevertheless, preliminary discussions reveal a noon

rally at the Bayfront Park Amphitheater preceding the 2pm march along a still to be determined route that eventually concludes at the amphitheater. The march will feature 500 orange-vested marshals.

� At the behest of city authorities, the Miami City Commission recently approved an ordinance, tailored specifically for November,

that outlaws possession of a long list of items at demonstrations. While it is expected that the local ACLU chapter will challenge the ordinance, the mass march organizers have indicated that they fully intend on enforcing the items list at their event.

� Amnesty International has filed for a permit to rally at the Torch of Friendship (Biscayne Boulevard and NE 3rd St.) on Thursday, November 20th.


THE AUTHORITIES

Here is new information about security preparations:

� The perimeter fence to surround the ministerial meeting locale is said to be the latest in space-age security technology: unbreakable,

unscalable, impossible to lift and generally obtrusive. For more information, see: ProActConcept barricades at http://www.premierglobalproduction.com

� The rotating protest pen method is being discussed as a possible crowd control strategy. A large bike patrol contingent will also be present.

� Biscayne Boulevard will be closed from the Miami River to NE 14th St.

� Use of the Brickell Bridge will be limited, with northbound traffic from the Brickell area on US 1 rerouted west on SW 7th St. to the South Miami Avenue Bridge.

� Metro-rail service (Miami's elevated train) is expected to operate normally. However, the Metro-mover (a smaller elevated train for downtown travel) schedule will be altered somewhat, as it practically stops at the InterContinental’s main entrance. More information is forthcoming.


THE DIRECT ACTION EFFORT

-Locally-

Anti-authoritarian Baby-sitters Club Experienced & cooperative childcare effort; November 17th - 21st Contact: yardwideyarns@hotmail; or 954.929.8013

Free Carnival Area of the Americas http://www.ftaaresistance.org/puppets.html

Food not Bombs Alliance http://www.autonomen.net/fnbnoftaa/

Miami FTAA Ministerial Medical Logistics http://www.artlessentropy.org/ftaa/

-Nationally-

The Beehive Collective FTAA east coast tour begins in October. http://www.beehivecollective.org

Chicago Midwest Unrest FTAA Consulta October 11th - 12th http://www.ftaaresistance.org/chiconsulta.html

Cincinnati Global Economics Conference Tentatively scheduled for early October. http://www.ftaaresistance.org/cincyconf.html

The March to Miami From Seattle to Miami over seven weeks this fall http://www.marchtomiami.org

The Padded Block Miami, Florida; November 20th - 21st http://www.organizepittsburgh.org/pb.html

The POG Pre-Miami Invitational November 13 – 18; Pittsburgh, PA Contact: pog@mutualaid.org

Ruckus Society – Global Justice Action Camp October 10th – 17th; Arcadia, Florida http://www.ruckus.org

Western North America FTAA Consulta Denver, Colorado; October 10th Contact: co_consulta@ziplip.com


CONCERNS

The following concerns (lettered) were recently shared in discussions regarding the Miami FTAA mobilization. Our responses follow (numbered):

(A) I think emphasizing affinity groups and individual group strategies while also having a larger call to action for those people to plug into the day of protests could work well.

(1) Currently, there are several actions to plug into: the padded block,

the Free Carnival Area of the Americas, and the FNB Alliance. The POG can orient you about taking part in the padded block. The FNB Alliance’s feeding effort can use all the help it can get, as the Miami FNB chapter is a small and inexperienced lot. The FCAA is opening a warehouse for street theater, puppet making, bicycle building and local community collaboration for six weeks prior to their Palm Beach to Miami parade. For those of us planning on arriving early, this South Florida fount of creative resistance with tri-county community-building and outreach potential is highly recommended.

(B) Don't hang around the convergence space, if there is one…

(2) Preliminary discussions have begun about providing a Welcome Center/Convergence Space. It is a very real possibility and more information is forthcoming. In the meantime, however, other existing efforts and options are certain to compensate for and contribute to convergence space-related services: the FL Fair Trade Coalition is planning on opening a Media Center in downtown Miami or thereabouts; vacant lots abound in the downtown area should any cavalier affinity group wish to convene a spokescouncil/pre-action meeting before or during the week of action; city and action logistics/orientation are being addressed through these updates and the thoroughly informed Miami FTAA Ministerial Medical Logistics website (see above).

(C) a more promising idea, i think, would be to mobilize alongside the unions and permitted marches, and then announce a break-away (or some other more confrontational assembly). by doing this, we could potentially pick up numbers which were not initially in our ranks…this is a very important objective of these protests - radicalizing more moderate branches of the movement.

(3) The union-sponsored, permitted march is being publicized as the most broadly supported and innocuous event taking place during the week of action. Seniors from around Florida will be mobilized to participate, and the AFL-CIO is providing 500 members to "line the route [and] direct people to make sure it's an orderly event." A breakaway is a certainly one way to get folks moving once we are together. However,

between the marshals and the inevitable police escort, be careful to consider your safety as well as that of others.


LASTLY

Two months remain before the week of action. If we failed to include information that should be public knowledge at this point, please let us know.

----- *800million vs. 34 Coalition n20@hushmail.com


---- Bussey, Jane. 2003. Miami waits in the shadows of WTO summit. Miami Herald. 07 September.

Hemlock, Doreen. 2003. Joint effort under way to guard FTAA session in Miami. Sun-Sentinel. 06 September.

Hemlock, Doreen. 2003. Trade summit ready for onslaught. Sun-Sentinel. 25 August.

Hoag, Christina. 2003. Commerce chiefs to face calm activism. Miami Herald. 29 August.

Korten, Tristram. 2003. Meet Us in Miami. Miami New Times. 11 September.

Stabley, Susan. 2003. Miami police keeping plans for FTAA under wraps. Miami Today. 21 August.

Stabley, Susan. 2003. Miami police outline plans for November trade meetings. Miami Today. 11 September.


For an extensive list of back articles, see: http://www.geocities.com/ericsquire/ftaafla.htm#miami For the August update, see: http://tallahassee.indymedia.org/feature/display/1879/index.php

--- *800million vs. 34 Coalition abides by the PGA Hallmarks. That is to say, anti-authoritarian, anti-capitalist, and for direct action.

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