WTO Meeting Hall Closed by Security Issue

SEATTLE (Reuters) - A meeting of international trade ministers and leaders of environmental and labor groups was delayed indefinitely on Monday when police closed down Seattle's main convention center for security reasons.

Police evacuated the state convention center, where trade negotiators from 135 countries were scheduled to begin meeting Tuesday, after an officer spotted something suspicious, which authorities declined to identify.

``There was a potential security breach,'' Seattle police spokeswoman Carmen Best said.

The convention center was evacuated shortly before 5 a.m. (8 a.m. EST) and authorities were continuing a security sweep four hours later, complete with bomb-sniffing dogs.

``We don't know how long it's going to take,'' Best said.

A daylong meeting where leaders of non-governmental organizations were to be given a chance to air their concerns with officials of the World Trade Organization and its member countries was postponed, leaving hundreds of journalists and delegates milling outside the convention center. Reut12:24 11-29-99

-- Bill P (porterwn@one.net), November 29, 1999

Answers

interesting. and sometimes i think the sheeple will go quietly into a global govt?!! i guess this shows the globalists they will have alot to contend with in the u.s. obviously they will have to do something about it.

-- tt (cuddluppy@nowhere.com), November 29, 1999.

There are some very interesting-looking people on the streets today. Even for Seattle.

-- bw (home@puget.sound), November 29, 1999.

I live about 1 hr north of Seattle. The local news said there was some sort of break-in of the convention center last night. The center is very large and it takes a long time to do a thorough search. It opened back up about 10 a.m.

There are protesters climbing buildings to put up their signs, and some climbed up a construction rig to put up some banners. I will not be going anywhere near Seattle for a long time. If I hear anything interesting I'll post.

-- Sammie (sammiex0@hotmail.com), November 29, 1999.

We have been very considerant to the "protesters". We have provided them with places to stay, (as best we can) and closed off streets during the busiest time of day for their marches, even marched with them.

Now some of them are showing their appreciation by breaking windows of businesses and spraying graffitti on everything, and even stopping a bus and climbing all over it

This isn't L.A. and we do NOT appreciate them repaying our welcome like that. There is a point that they are very close to crossing, and they will not like our reaction to their actions. The people of Seattle are known for being nice, even our police are "Seattle nice". But if they start getting stupid and start tearing up the town, we will get behind our police and stop them.

-- Cherri (sams@brigadoon.com), November 29, 1999.

HEAR HEAR!! Having been on the OTHER side of THAT baricade (Nonviolent trainer and trainer trainer in 1971) I can sympathize with both sides, but I DO understand that there are lines to be crossed and some not to be crossed.

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), November 30, 1999.

um, looking at Drudge now,

WTO: Local Seattle TV KIRO showing bandits with chains, clubs, breaking windows in downtown area... Reporter Meeghan Black on the scene says she is worried for her life ... Protesters are yelling at the bandits -- Bandits grabbing all TV cameras and smashing them -- reporters getting sprayed...

URGENT: BATTLE IN SEATTLE TURNS VIOLENT
SEATTLE POLICE WARN CITIZENS TO STAY OUT OF DOWNTOWN

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), November 30, 1999.