WTO Protest Anniversary Turns Ugly

S E A T T L E, Dec. 1 -- They marched, they danced and chanted — and then itgot ugly.

When 100 demonstrators refused to disperse Thursday night,police used pepper spray and began arresting participants who weremarking the anniversary of the riotous protests that stalled WorldTrade Organization meetings here last year.

The commemoration that had begun with a quiet and lighthearted tone disintegrated as, according to police, a number of protesters threwrocks and bottles, as well as carried bottles of gasoline. Onepolice captain was injured in the eye by a thrown object.

As many as 75 people, including an Associated Press reporter,were arrested.

“Police did issue three orders to disperse the crowd blockingthe street, three separate orders to disperse,” city spokesmanLarry Vogel said. “And then they moved the crowd.”

Not as Chaotic as Last Year

Even so, the demonstrations weren’t as chaotic as last year when50,000 protesters crammed into downtown and shut down WTO sessionsas overwhelmed police fired tear gas and rubber bullets. There weresome 600 arrests and $3 million in property damage. Police ChiefNorm Stamper later retired.

The disturbances followed a day of peaceful demonstrations bysome 2,000 people marked by only a handful of arrests and hailed byorganizers as a success.

“Everything was fine up until about 8 o’clock,” said RandyTrefethern, a legal observer of the protests for the NationalLawyers Guild. He spoke early today by telephone from aKing County Jail cell.

He contended that police arrested a protester rolling acigarette, mistaking it for marijuana, “and that set the crowdoff. Things became very tense after that.”

“They pushed us down the street and ultimately blocked us in,”said Legrand Jones, another legal observer arrested late Thursday.“They ordered us to disperse, but there was nowhere for us todisperse.”

AP Reporter Arrested