Cautioning the council
Last week, on Thursday, Sept. 25, the Miami City Council wasscheduled to vote on an ordinance that would ban the use ofpossession of a lengthy list of items from what they called”parades and demonstrations.” The ordinance would takeeffect immediately and was scheduled to expire on Nov. 27, about aweek after the end of the Free Trade Area of the Americasmeeting.
A quick look at the items prohibited by the ordinance revealsthe true intent behind it. Besides prohibiting weaponry of varioustypes, the ordinance also would ban protective clothing (whetherpurpose-built or improvised) and any form of breathing protection.The proposed ordinance also contains restrictions on the size anddimensions of signs, banners, and the poles used to hold them up,though it notably does not specify how the police are supposed tomake such judgments and measurements on the spot.
If passed, the ordinance would leave the anti-FTAA activists ina bit of a conundrum. The protective measures that the city councilwas seeking to ban evolved out of years of experience.
Thick, strong signs provide some shielding against theprojectiles fired at the demonstrators. Bandannas, respirators andgas masks provide increasing levels of protection against thenoxious gases (chemical weapons, really) used by the police. Theyalso help conceal the identity of activists from the cameras ofauthorities at all levels. When used as part of the “BlackBloc” technique, they also help foster a strong feeling ofsolidarity among the activists themselves. Finally, protective gearand padded clothing help activists to stand their ground in theface of police brutality and avoid injury.
Assuming the activists were even aware of the prohibitions andchose to obey the ordinance, they would be left essentiallydefenseless against the violence of the police. If they violatedthe ordinance, either through ignorance or defiance, they wouldbecome essentially fair game.
All things considered, the activists would probably be betteroff taking whatever protective measures they feel are necessary,since police departments at similar demonstrations have shown thatthey need no excuses to use excessive force.
When the proposed ordinance was announced, it was only a shorttime before a document began to circulate on the variousIndependent Media Centers (I found it on the Portland, Oregon site)that explained the situation and listed the contact information forthe entire Miami City Council. I considered calling all of them,but I decided it would be a better idea to send them an e-mail. Iwas unsure how many other people would speak up, but I figured itwas worth a try.
As it turned out, I was far from the only one offering anobjection. Mayor Diaz asked for my specific concerns, which I wasonly too happy to give, and shortly afterwards I discovered thatthe council had postponed the vote until later in October afterreceiving a wave of criticism.
This looks like something of a victory, but it is entirelypossible that the council is going to try and pass the resolutionat the last possible moment, in an attempt to sneak it past thecriticism. We shall have to wait and see.
All of this serves to demonstrate that on certain occasions itis entirely possible to make a difference without even leavingone’s room. Many of those who contacted the Miami CityCouncil may not be able to journey to Miami this November, but theystill wanted to do something to aid those who can (and will) makethe trip.
After the World Trade Organization talks collapsed (again) inCancun, a great deal of attention will be focused on the upcomingMiami meetings.
A clear relationship has been established between the resistanceoutside and the resistance inside. In other words, the globalactivism dedicated to exposing and confronting corporate feudalismhelps fuel the steadfastness of delegates from poor countries, wholately have been refusing to bow to the demands of the rich andpowerful.
Still, it is important to remember that these delegates commonlycome from the wealthy elite of their own countries, and for thisreason, the direct action that was so successful in Seattle in 1999must remain a fixture of future demonstrations. There is everyindication that it will, in Miami and beyond.
The Miami City Council may still think they are doing the rightthing by trying to short-circuit direct action, but they can nolonger say that nobody warned them.
