Court: Police May Have Gone Too Far During WTO Protests in Seattle in 1999

[Roland99]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGB1KB6KH9E.html

SEATTLE (AP) - A federal appeals court panel Thursday that police during the 1999 World Trade Organization meeting may have erred by keeping some protesters out of a restricted zone based on their beliefs.

The three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed, however, that the city had the right to block off part of downtown Seattle after about 50,000 protesters swarmed the area. A relatively small number also smashed storefronts and overwhelmed police, causing about $2.5 million in damage.

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They also said their 14th Amendment rights to equal protection were violated because demonstrators were barred, but not business owners, workers, shoppers and residents.

Thursday's ruling partly reversed a 2001 finding by U.S. District Judge Barbara J. Rothstein and ordered a new trial on the question on who was allowed into the restricted zone.

[Wilms]

1. Too far? really?

[merwin]

12. No shit? I think they didn't do enough! They should have ALL been shot!!!

(instead of just most of them)

[thecai]

2. Police State

It was crazy. But that's normal for Washington State law enforcement and government. :evilfrown:

[merwin]

13. WA usually isn't too terrible about law enforcement and government.

That was an oddball situation.

[freeplessinseattle]

3. ya think? I count my blessings

that could have been me in those pics if I had decided to walk one more block, but changed my mind bc I had a headache and it was so loud. Then when I got home I turned on the tv and found out why it was so loud.

[icymist]

4. It only took five years for the courts to figure this out!

They (police) came right into the Capitol Hill residential area (also happens to be the gay neighborhood) pepper spraying bystanders, throwing tear gas canisters into businesses, and rounding up anyone who took a look outside their own home to what the hell was going on! Is it any wonder that nobody trusts the police any more? When this thing was over, my city looked like a war zone.

[SoCalDem]

5. Gee...who-da-thunk-it

Police get 'adrenalized' at these things, and usually go too far

[Zorra]

6. Too far? Aww, heck, they didn't do any permanent damage to me when

they hit me in the back with nightsticks repeatedly as I walked in front of them a little too slowly for their liking.

[Roland99]

7. See. You don't have anything to complain about.

Move along now, citizen.

[uppityperson]

8. Didn't hurt my friend any when got hit, arrested and jailed overnight

for pausing to look down the street at the protest as my friend tried to get around town. Hit? Better than a chiropractor visit. Arrested? Free fingerprinting! Jail overnight? Well, it was a free dry place to sleep, much better than having to stress about missing the ferry.

Edited for abisssmal speling

[Pachamama]

9. I was pregnant & barely missed getting tear-gassed at the WTO!

I lived in Seattle at the time and a good buddy of mine, Randy Hayes, Founder of RAN (Rainforest Action Network) was supposed to meet me and called me urgently to turn back immediately because the police were teargassing the crowds of protesters...it was insane....


Out of hand? You better believe it...the police were the ones, not the crowds...people like me, a pregnant peaceful protester and citizen excercising my freedom of speech being treated like thugs...thank god Randy called me to turn back....

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

10. The picture I most regret not getting.

Sunset, pulling out on a ferry, gas rising above the city.

[thecai]

11. They Were Shooting Helpless Protestors

...with rubber bullets, and caused many severe injuries.

[icymist]

14. Court Rules Police May Have Gone Too Far In WTO Protests

SEATTLE -- A federal appeals court panel ruled Thursday that the city had a right to block off part of downtown Seattle when the 1999 World Trade Organization protests turned violent.

But the three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed part of a lower court decision and sent it back for retrial, saying police trying to quell the unrest may have violated some demonstrators' constitutional rights.

Writing for the majority, Judge Ronald M. Gould said, "While respecting the liberty of protesters, a city must be permitted to act reasonably, within the bounds of the Constitution, to fulfill its responsibilities of providing physical security and the maintenance of order that is required for all of a city's resident's and visitors."

"However," Gould went on to say, "viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to appellants, in some instances police conduct may have gone too far and infringed on certain individual protesters' constitutional rights by making the content of their expressed views the test for their entry into the restricted zone."

This is a big win for all those who got arrested for wearing a 'No WTO' button. There will now be a trial for these people. I hope the police get in hot water for arresting people for having an opposing political view.

http://www.kirotv.com/news/4561266/detail.html

[thecai]

15. KICK n/t