I am watching Seattle TV Live... There is a police hellicopter flying over... It appears that they have just released more tear gas...

-- Reporter (reporter_atlarge@hotmail.com), November 30, 1999

Answers

The news cameras only have limited visibility at "capital hill" they are trying to get better position... comercial...

-- Reporter (reporter_atlarge@hotmail.com), November 30, 1999.

We now have live picgures of distruction... Glass windows are being broken... Evidently the protests are at different places...

-- Reporter (reporter_atlarge@hotmail.com), November 30, 1999.

Starbucks getting trashed...

-- Reporter (reporter_atlarge@hotmail.com), November 30, 1999.

Police are beginning their march... slowly... They say there is a new line of riots... Some traffic appears to be moving through the area as if nothing is abnormal... Alot of police standing arround... Report has it that a half of a block has been looted, I am not seeing this on screen...

-- Reporter (reporter_atlarge@hotmail.com), November 30, 1999.

I'm not seeing anything else at this time... I believe I heard another pop from tear gas being delivered... The pictures from Starbucks were taped earlier... Appearantly the cameras can't get any closer.

-- Reporter (reporter_atlarge@hotmail.com), November 30, 1999.

Thanks for the info. How far is this all taking place from the University of Washington campus? I have a son going to school there.

Thanks! Sincerely,

-- nothing (better@to.do), November 30, 1999.

About 4 miles away--to the south. If he is in a dorm, he's out of it. Tomorrow should be interesting-the demonstrators say they'll return. Now, there are only about 500 people involved besides the police (and 1,362 reporters and camera operators).

-- Greg Lawrence (greg@speakeasy.org), November 30, 1999.

Now (1700 PST) the National Guard has been called out

-- Capt Dennis (capden@hotmail.com), November 30, 1999.

It appears to be in a small area... There isn't any violence right now... Was able to see a reporter speaking from the protester side of the line... The protesters were holding up peace signs nothing but a little shouting happening and lots of tear gas... Evidently there is a curfew zone and the police are trying to move them out of the zone... It appears that most of the protesters are not acting violently at this time...

-- Reporter (reporter_atlarge@hotmail.com), November 30, 1999.

Greg, thanks! He's in the dorm. I just called him and told him not to step foot off campus. He's a good kid, so he won't.

-- nothing (better@to.do), November 30, 1999.

I am getting sick of the local commentary... There appears to be about 100 people in the protest group that I was able to see... but I hardly got a look from the few screen shots... The news is now returning to regular programming it appears.

-- Reporter (reporter_atlarge@hotmail.com), November 30, 1999.

Scanner still has events (11:15pm EST). Cop just asking for more gas, all they got.

-- Hokie (nn@va.com), November 30, 1999.

Here's a thumbnail review of WTO in Seattle today from a local's point of view.

 Thousands protested peacefully, including union reps. Most went home for dinner or back to their hotels at 5:00 pm. The WTO planning session was delayed a few hours this morning, but other than that, not sure they made a dent in the WTO plans to enslave the world.

That is the WTOs plan isn't it. Whatever.

Like Y2K isn't going to disrupt EVERYBODY's plan soon enough.

 150 punks who don't have a clue about jacksh--, or WTO, wore black hoods and broke windows at Starbucks and Nordstroms and Bank of America, then ran away when the tear gas made them cry. They NOT ONCE broke windows in the presence of police, only when they were well away from police observation. Thus to avoid arrest. Duh. But they performed quite well within view when anyone of the 14 million media cameras were rolling on them. Oh, the photo ops today were abundant. Look for shots of our masked anarchist heroes, arms spayed akembo as they kneel at the feet of the black-booted Seattle riot gestapo. Their images will fill the Net, and the Morning talk shows, and Newspapers tomorrow.

Oh yeah, and the window-fixing trucks were on the street 15 minutes after the protestors were dispersed. So much for the impact on the capitalist pigs. By morning, a cushion of cash will return all to new for a fresh day of protests.

 The final sweep up Pine street to remove the remaining 500 obstinate radical protestors began precisely at 5:00 pm. (After the peaceful protestors were sitting down for supper). By the stroke of 6:00 this remnant had been moved out of the secured downtown core. An amazing, textbook thing to watch unfold: the tear gas, the march of batons, the falling back of the protestors, another block taken back by the police in full riot gear. Another round of tear gas, another charge by the baton brigade, another retreat by the choking hoard, another block for the police.

Great real-life practice for the local police force for the forthcoming Y2K festivities. Wasn't Seattle on that list of 120 major cities targeted for Martial Law at the rollover? Oh, yes, and also ground zero for the Russian nuke party. And they said Seattle wasn't the place to be!

 Of note: The protestors who came here in earnest to protest plans and actions by the WTO were lost in the noise of 27 different agendas they brought with them, and the 150 @$$holes who broke windows. So, based on what is playing the local media, who the hell knows what this all about!?? Kind

-- point of view (AnotherSeattleReporter@sea.com), November 30, 1999.

- State of Emergency has been declared-

- Curfew until 0600 12/1 in corridor around Convention Center downtown Seattle, other adjacent areas difficult access.

-- snooze button (alarmclock_2000@yahoo.com), November 30, 1999.

My last sentence was cut off.

So, based on what is playing in the local media, who knows what the hell this is all about? Kind of like Y2K!

----

Hope this doesn't get cut

-- point of view (AnotherSeattleReporter@sea.com), December 01, 1999.